Digital Commons Network^™

Resting State Fmri Study Of The Olfactory Region In Autism, Madlyn Lawrence

Honors Theses

This thesis was conducted to further the investigation of the Olfactory system of a typically developing individual compared to an individual with Autism. The Olfactory system is unique in that it is the only sensory system that is not relayed through the thalamus in the brain. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), also known as Autism, is a developmental disorder which impairs a person's social, behavioral, developmental, cognitive and psychological aspects. Autism Spectrum Disorder can present with symptoms such as difficulty communicating, difficulty with social interactions obsessive thoughts and compulsions and repetitive behaviors. Subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder present with an inability …

Gender Differences In Adhd, Jillian Vogley

Honors Theses

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a learning disability that is very prevalent in today’s society. A closer look at this disability reveals that there are differences with males and females with regards to how the symptoms manifest. Females have a tendency to exhibit inattention whereas males are often hyperactive, which is much more obvious to others around them. This difference in symptoms has led to a drastic difference in terms of how ADHD is diagnosed and causes it to be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed in females compared to males. The consequences that this delayed diagnosis may have on females can be severe. …

The Effects Of Different Types Of Virtual Reality Display On Perception Of A Virtual Presenter, Ferran Poage

Honors Theses

Virtual reality (VR) displays present an immersive 3D virtual world that convey a sense of presence. These displays are rapidly increasing in fidelity, from traditional 2d desk monitors to head-mounted displays (HMD’s) like the Oculus Rift. Research must investigate the relationship between this growing level of fidelity in displays and the virtual experiences they produce, especially as high-fidelity devices become more widespread. Evidence shows that the fidelity of VR displays can affect a variety of factors such as spatial awareness, communication, engagement, arousal, enjoyment, and presence. The current study investigated the potential relationship between the fidelity of VR displays and …

The Effects Of Qr Code Prompts Posted To A Solar Charging Bench On Website Visibility, Sage Campbell

Honors Theses

This study will investigate the effects of graphic prompts with integrated quick response (QR) codes posted to a solar charging bench. The hypothesis is that posted prompts and the bench itself will increase website traffic and visibility of sustainable actions at Western Michigan University. Website traffic will be monitored using Google Analytics software which will allow for tracking of website visits specifically from scanning the QR code. Thus, data from bench installation and from bench installation with prompts will be compared with baseline data from before installation of the bench and before installation graphic prompts. Data that supports the hypothesis, …

Comparing Prompting Methods For Teaching Receptive Identification, Laurel Jungblut

Honors Theses

Receptive language is the occurrence of an appropriate response to the spoken language of another individual. This is a key element of development, especially in regard to the acquisition of spoken language (Grow & LeBlanc, 2013). While this appropriate responding is a skill generally acquired by typically developing children via interactions with their caregivers, in most situations it must be explicitly taught to children with developmental delays (Charlotte L. Carp, Sean P. Peterson, Amber J. Arkel, & Anna I. Petursdottir, 2012). An absence or delay of this skill will result in a child missing many important learning opportunities, leading to …

Increasing The Frequency Of Tutors' Reinforcement Of Compliance Behaviors, Sruthi Rameshkumar

Honors Theses

Abstract

Compliance behaviors occurring prior to the delivery of an instruction, such as handing over preferred items, making eye contact, and folding hands in the ready position help prepare students for success in discrete-trial training (DTT) interventions. These behaviors are usually taught in early intervention with a continuous reinforcement schedule, but once they are mastered, they are rarely revisited or maintained. Without intermittent reinforcement of these behaviors, they are likely to decrease in frequency and may lead to the use of restrictive or intrusive methods to gain compliance during DTT sessions. The current study used a multiple-baseline across participants design …

Internalizing Disorders Among Mississippi Public School Students And The Need For Intervention, Madison Varner

Honors Theses

Childhood anxiety disorders traditionally do not garner much attention in academic settings. However, many studies have concluded that approximately 1 in 8 children has an anxiety disorder by age 12, often beginning at earlier ages but going undiagnosed. Further, studies have shown that these disorders strongly affect both behavior (e.g. bullying, school attendance, and social performance) and academic performance (e.g. literacy, mathematical learning). Under several existing pieces of legislature, public schools should already be providing treatment for these disorders; however, due to financial costs and the silent nature of these internalizing disorders, few schools have any provisions for the numerous …

"The Beauty! The Beauty!": Colonial Literary Legacies And Conquering The Female Body In Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao, Alexi Decker

Honors Theses

Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Ufa of Oscar Wao includes a plethora of references to everything from classic literature to modem pop culture. However, Diaz ends his novel with a reference to Joseph Conrad's colonial novella Heart of Darkness, therefore inviting readers to view Oscar Wao through a lens of colonial literature. This in turn results in a reconsideration of the current critical consensus surrounding the text's treatment of sexuality and masculinity in the modern Dominican diaspora, specifically that of Oscar, the novel's titular character.

Inconnecting Oscar Wao to Heart of Darkness, I analyze the text's and characters's violence against …

Rhythms And Reading: Applying Literacy To The Music Classroom, Makenzie M. Davis

Honors Theses

This research project seeks to demonstrate how literacy pedagogy can be used to teach music in the context of a music classroom. Born of the increased emphasis on literacy-based instruction in public schools, all teachers, regardless of primary content area, are expected to aid in the mission of teaching reading skills to all students. Oftentimes, teachers will forego their content area lessons in order to strictly teach a lesson on reading skills. Music teachers must be equipped to teach literacy within their music classroom without damaging the integrity of their music content lessons. Through comparative research, the project will parallel …

Pretrial Publicity And Juror Decisionmaking: Effects Of Inadmissible Evidence And Coverage Of Its Exclusion From Trial, Rebecca Rhein

Honors Theses

The courts have long been concerned that exposure to media coverage regarding a case making its way through the judicial process (i.e., pretrial publicity [PTP]) may influence jurors’ decisionmaking in court. Indeed, empirical research over the past two decades has shown that PTP can influence juror decisions. PTP often contains descriptions of evidence or factors that are ultimately deemed inadmissible at trial (e.g., confession evidence), but no research to date has examined what occurs when confessions are reported to the public but later deemed inadmissible. We examined these issues using a 2 (Interrogation Quality: High vs. Low) x3 (Exclusion: Technicality …

The Melody Of Spatial Memory, Victoria Lynne Karpuszka

Honors Theses

Music has been studied extensively in psychology, including research on musically-induced emotion. However, the project reported here looked at new effects of musically-induced emotions on spatial memory. Trochidis and Bigand (2013) established that music and emotions are associated. Music of a major mode, or an Ionian mode, is usually associated with positive emotions. Music of minor modes, such the Locrian or Aoelian modes, are associated with negative emotions. These associations with the specific modes are seen by the lowering of the third and sixth scale tones.

Participants for the present study completed a spatial memory task (called the “Tower of …

The Commodification Of Education And The Threat To Public Schools, Macey Berkley

Honors Theses

With the recent push to reform the United States Education system, public schools have become under siege. Education has shifted away from educating for moral democratic citizenship, a liberal arts curriculum, to education for meeting economic demands. The aims of education have changed, and it is clear that reforms made in the late nineteenth century still resonate in the public school system today. Therefore, public schools are at risk of extinction from privatizing movements and undercuts to public education funding. Examining the implications of progressive education in the late nineteenth century and studying many key figures such as John Dewey, …

The Cinderella Tale: Oral, Literary, And Film Traditions, Olivia Camille Williams

Honors Theses

Folk and fairy tales have been told for centuries. The most prevalent medium of dispersing popular tales changed with technological advancements. Printed word superseded oral storytelling, to be succeeded by film. Some communal aspects of the tales were lost as print emerged, but with print came illustrations to describe the text. Film reimbued the tales with some of the theatrical elements of the oral tale while keeping, and heightening, the visual elements of the illustrated texts. The tale Cinderella has been, and still is, remarkably poplar. As such, it has received attention in academic circles and popular culture. The tale, …

Perceiving Place: A Social Design Case Study, Mary Anne Brinkman

Honors Theses

Space is one of the most basic foundational systems for living things. No matter what happens in the world, it happens in a spatial setting. The specific design of that setting or place plays a large role in the lives of those within it.1 Other factors within place—factors that might inform design choices—also affect perception of place. Broad consensus exists in scholarly literature about the general role that history, culture, environment and social factors play into the perception of place. Past studies have supported that our perception of reality before actually observing it, actively affects the reality we then observe.2 …

Intelligence And Interpersonal Functioning In Youth And Young Adults With Varying Levels Of Psychopathic And Callous-Unemotional Traits, Marie Feyche

Honors Theses

The current study examined 30 youth and young adults ages 12-21 who were receiving therapy services at South Community, Inc. The intelligence and interpersonal functioning of individuals with varying levels of psychopathic and callous-unemotional (CU) traits was studied. Although there are a variety of conceptualizations of psychopathy, this study used the Triarchic Model of Psychopathy (TriPM), which defines the three factors of psychopathy as boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. CU traits are a downward extension of psychopathy, overlapping with the meanness factor, and are embodied by an absence of guilt, remorse, and the expression of superficial emotion. “Successful” psychopathy is a …

Poverty Redemption: Why Those Affected Stay Affected, Claudia M. Hampel

Honors Theses

This paper looks at why those in poverty have not taken advantage of self-sufficiency programs that are offered through Miami Valley Works along with other self-sufficiency programs offered. This paper looks at the general reasons why those in poverty do not go through self-sufficiency programs, whether they chose not to participate or leave a program prior to completion. This paper delves into multiple factors that could contribute to why an individual would forgo to participate in the program or would choose to leave the program before completing it. The study examines how governmental policies, the culture of poverty, race, housing, …

Misreading The Hybrid Face: The Alienation Of Performed And Authentic Self In Danzy Senna’S Caucasia And Chang-Rae Lee’S Native Speaker, William E. Landers

Honors Theses

Race is epistemological. It shapes worldviews, conceptions of self, and interactions with society. It defines who belongs in the national community and who counts as fully human. The myth of whiteness as a homogenizing and nativist identity creates false personas around and within racialized others. These personas define non-white populations according to exclusionary stereotypes. These stereotypes, in turn, separate populations based on appearance and cultural practice. This thesis applies Critical Race Theory and comparative racialization tools to examine the historical implications of race on the conception of an authentic, or internally true, identity. These implications are illustrated by the dynamics …

Maternal Depression, Child Temperament, And Risk For Depression In Adolescence A Test Of The Differential Susceptibility Hypothesis, Karina Palermo

Honors Theses

This study examines the relationship between maternal depression and offspring risk for depression. A child's difficult temperament may be especially challenging for a depressed mother. The depression, in combination with child difficult temperament, may cause changes in parenting styles that put the child at a greater risk for depression. The purpose of this study is to examine whether links between maternal depression, maternal parenting, and offspring risk for depression in adolescence vary according to child difficult temperament. It is predicted that maternal depression will be more strongly predictive of parenting deficits for mothers of children with difficult temperament. Furthermore, consistent …

Secondary Trauma In Children Services Workers: Is The Opioid Crisis A Contributing Factor?, Rebecca L. Richardson

Honors Theses

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) can impact anyone who interacts with a victim of trauma, such as family, friends, first responders, or social workers. This project ultimately aims to determine whether or not the opioid crisis impacts the levels of secondary traumatic stress in children services workers. This research examines STS in current children services workers who work directly with victims of child abuse or neglect alongside how frequently children services workers are exposed to opioid-related cases in their professional lives. Data for this project were gathered by administering a survey to two area children services agencies to assess the STS …

The Effects Of L. Rhamnosus Consumption On Male Long Evans Rat Anxiety-Like Behavior, Amanda Marie Schleper

Honors Theses

Adolescent stress in humans has been correlated with an increased likelihood of an individual to develop an alcohol use disorder later in life. Literature has demonstrated that rats subjected to adolescent stress tend to show an increased preference and consumption of ethanol. Adolescence is a critical time of development. The link between adolescent stressors and alcohol use disorders is not fully understood yet. This study examined the relationship between adolescent stress and alcohol consumption and preference in rats. Probiotics are bacteria with potential health benefits and have been well accepted as a dietary supplement. Literature shows that probiotics could decrease …

Developing A Model For Clinical Song Analysis, Or Why Music Therapists Still Need Music Theory And Musicology, Lesley Wray

Honors Theses

In the music therapy literature, there is a distinct lack of research on clinical song analysis. Analyzing songs can be beneficial for music therapists when choosing songs to use in a session, when discussing songs with a client, and when arranging songs to play with or for clients. In this thesis, I start to bridge the fields of music therapy, music theory, and musicology to create a language of analysis upon which music therapists can draw for clinical song analysis. I focus first on foundational concepts such as timbre, style, and form, which I explain through the analysis of four …

The Use Of Life Story Interventions Between Older Adult With Dementia And Caregivers: A State Of The Science, Katelyn Mater

Honors Theses

Objective

To synthesize the research findings of storytelling techniques in healthcare settings for adults 50 and older with a diagnosis of dementia.

Data Sources

Data was gathered using the databases CINAHL, Clinicalkey, Pubmed, OVID, Proquest, and Web of Science using the search terms “storytelling/story-telling” and “caregiver”. Articles chosen for this review ranged from 2003-2018.

Data Extraction

Inclusion criteria were: 1). primary research articles, 2). written in English 3). research focused on the use of story-telling between healthcare providers and 4). participants were adults 55 and older with a dementia diagnosis. A total of 9 studies have been selected for further …

Stigma Mitigation Through Fine Arts, Kendall Owens

Honors Theses

Social stigma has plagued our society for centuries. It isolates groups of people based on erroneously defined characteristics causing stigmatized persons to be viewed as socially “abnormal”. This debarment from full social acceptance results in poor population health and well-being. Fine arts have been an integral component of society since the beginning of civilization; current and past research have found involvement in fine arts to improve health and well-being in many ways. In this project, relevant studies related to stigma, fine arts, and population health will be reviewed to support the argument that “fine arts combat and mitigate the …

An Analysis Of The Developmental Enrichment Of The Seattle Children's Playgarden, Caitlin Koob

Honors Theses

This paper analyzes the opportunities for developmental enrichment, as provided by the Seattle Children’s PlayGarden, from the perspective of occupational therapy. The PlayGarden, located in Seattle, Washington, is an inclusive playground, preschool, and summer camp that promotes inclusion of children with disabilities. The analysis highlights each area of occupation, as identified in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, and discusses the garden’s contribution to facilitate growth in those specific skills (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2014). The intentionality of the design and program structure advocates for children to maximize their independence in activities of daily living, despite the play-based approach. …

Exploring A Connection Between Learning And Student Perception Of Place, Katelyn Roberts

Honors Theses

The quality of the physical environment is understood to impact overall health, wellbeing, and capacity to learn and engage in daily life. This pilot study explores how students in the Speech Language and Hearing Sciences program at Western Michigan University view the effects of indoor and outdoor nature spaces at the College of Health and Human Services on the East Campus of Western Michigan University on their learning experience. Results of the study suggest that there are significant relationships between the participant’s perception of interesting qualities in the College of Health and Human Services and feeling a sense of connection …

The Use Of Nature As A Treatment Modality In Occupational Therapy, Lauren Koch

Honors Theses

Nature is inherently therapeutic. Applying the principles of occupational therapy within the natural environment integrates the physical, mental, and socio-emotional health benefits afforded by nature into therapeutic intervention practices. The nature centered context of the outdoors addresses performance skills and patterns, highlighting its use as a therapeutic modality. As such, nature may be used as an effective treatment modality in the practice of occupational therapy due to the benefits that it affords. The incorporation of nature into therapeutic intervention may be based upon the environmental factors, available resources, and function of the natural environment. The goal of this literature review …

A Qualitative Study Of The Possible Link Between Masculinity And Aggression Among College Football Players, Leanna Brown

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

"Let Bartlet Be Bartlet:" The Presidential Politics Of Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing, Marjory Madeline Zuk

Honors Theses

From 1999-2006, Aaron Sorkin’s television show The West Wing entertained audiences with a weekly backstage pass to life in the White House. While the show featured plotlines regarding the characters’ personal lives, it also centered the policy decisions of President Bartlet and his staffers, and it informed audiences about political issues and tools. With background research, I confirmed that the style of the show was a valuable educational tool, as it used both episodic and thematic framing devices when discussing different political issues. My understanding of its ability to influence audiences’ understandings of political issues lead my interest in understanding …

Satisfaction With Campus Involvement And College Student Academic Success, Carissa Pauley

Honors Theses

Previous research has shown there are multiple benefits to overall development and well-being of an individual when they obtain social belongingness (Begen & Turner-Cobb, 2015; Maslow, 1943; Osterman, 2000; Sirgy, 1986). Additionally, social belonging has been shown to have multiple positive effects in the lives of college students (Pittman and Richmond, 2008). The main objective of this study was to help determine whether the satisfaction a college student feels toward the quantity and quality of their social involvement in campus organizations is a predictor of academic success. Participants completed measures assessing academic involvement, satisfaction with The University of Mississippi, quality …

The Effect Of Familiarity On Joint Attention In Children With Asd, Rachel Jenkins

Honors Theses

Joint attention is the ability to share focus on an object with a conversational partner and the awareness that this attention is shared (Moore, Dunham, & Dunham, 2014). Joint attention is an important building block for learning, language, and social development (Mundy & Newell, 2007; Thurm, Lord, Lee, & Newschaffer, 2007). However, previous research has documented that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have significant deficits and delays in the acquisition of joint attention when compared to typically developing peers of similar chronological ages (Mundy, Sigman, & Kasari, 1994; Osterling & Dawson, 1994; Chiang, Soong, Lin, & Rogers, 2008). …