Digital Commons Network^™

The Selfie Of Dorian Gray: Adapting Literature For Modern Media, Darby L. Campbell

Honors Theses

Picture Perfect Dori Gray is a modern adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray set in modern America and starring a female Dorian Gray. The work is set up as a web series that takes place on YouTube in the form of a vlog run by Dori herself. The transmedia world consists of both YouTube content and Twitter content that all contribute to one over-arching story world. Modernizing the narrative, setting, media, and characters highlights which literary themes and motifs of the original novel are still relevant today and which symbols have changed since publication. The greatest effect on the …

Pain Catastrophizing In College Athletes' At Eastern Kentucky University, Jacob Waldecker

Honors Theses

It is a known fact that athletes become susceptible to injuries with more athletic injury exposures, and that pain is the most common symptom paired with injury. Pain catastrophizing is a phenomenon that is caused by negative thinking that has been shown to reduce treatment outcomes in patient populations. Pain catastrophizing has been studied in different populations, usually with specific body part injuries, showing it is a relevant factor in the outcome of rehabilitation. Nobody has researched the prevalence of pain catastrophizing in highly athletic populations. In Division I athletes at Eastern Kentucky University, 291 athletes were surveyed using the …

Arguments Against Amalgamation: The Citizen’S Council Battles Integration By Controlling The Narrative, Evelyn S. Kerns

Honors Theses

In 1954, the Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education eradicated the “separate, but equal” mentality that confined African Americans to the menial state of oppression and exploitation that had plagued their people since they arrived in America. However, this decision did little to neutralize the proclivity to segregation nor did it quell the surmounting racial tensions between black people and the upper echelon of Southern society. Conversely, the federal mandate to integrate public schools roused white supremacists to interpose desegregation through resistance, violence, and fear-mongering propaganda. The most flagrant organization of white supremacists was known as the White …

The Effects Of Equine Assisted Learning On Emotional Intelligence Competencies And Leadership Skills, Jade E. Rauen

Honors Theses

The Effects of Equine Assisted Learning on

Emotional Intelligence Competencies and Leadership Skills

Jade Rauen

Dr. Kelly L. Leigers, PhD, OTR/L, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

Since the development and understanding of the term emotional intelligence (EI), researchers and businessmen alike have strived to find a way to improve EI competencies. Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) is a branch of Equine Therapy that uses the horse to facilitate change in humans. In recent years, EAL has been applied to the field of leadership development. Can a horse intrinsically instill competencies that effect leadership skills in humans? There is limited literature …

Finding Meaning In The Lack Thereof: An Analysis Of Nietzsche's And Sartre's Responses To The Problem Of Existential Nihilism, Daniel J. Hassall

Honors Theses

There have been countless philosophers who have attempted to create ways that humanity can overcome the threat of existential nihilism and the loss of objective meaning. Two of the most influential philosophers who have attempted to do this are Friedrich Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Sartre. This paper analyzes both of their philosophical solutions to the problem of nihilism, comparing and contrasting. While similar in many respects, Nietzsche and Sartre differ on several key aspects: they approach nihilism slightly differently, they have different views about ethics and subjectivity, and Nietzsche is a determinist while Sartre advocates a radical free will. When comparing …

Self-Reported Professional Competencies Of Rn-To-Bsn Students, Nicole Thompson

Honors Theses

Groundbreaking research by Aiken et al. (2003) and subsequent researchers has determined increased educational preparation and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree obtainment of Registered Nurses (RNs) to be associated with improved patient safety and outcomes. Other organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), have demonstrated professional competency to be an important indicator of quality nursing care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate self-reported professional competency of RN-to-BSN students at the point of graduation in order to investigate the added value of baccalaureate degree obtainment to the actual nursing practice of RN-to-BSN program graduates. The Nurse …

The Benefits Of Immersion In Learning A Foreign Language, Cassidy Crouch

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to measure the linguistic benefits of learning a foreign language in a study abroad immersion program through Western Michigan University’s (WMU) Spanish department. The participants in this study were all participants of the Santander, Spain program of the Summer II semester of 2017. Nineteen students in total went to Spain and eleven of them agreed to participate in this study. During the Spring 2017 semester the eleven participants were given a pre-departure questionnaire and oral interview where they were asked demographic questions as well as program-specific information. During the last week in Santander, Spain …

Impact Of Men's Shed On Social Participation And Health Outcomes, Joshua Grimmer

Honors Theses

This paper will explore the concept of a community-based organization, known as a Men’s Shed. The purpose of the research is to determine the positive impacts the North Belfast Men’s Shed has on social participation and overall health outcomes. The key factors observed in this study were the safe environment, camaraderie, social acceptance, and variety of activities the shed offers. The study included a sample of 11 men primarily over the age of 60. At the time of the study, all of the men were retired or unemployed and came from diverse occupational backgrounds. A set of semi-structure questions was …

Helping Children Understand: Using Picture Books To Age – Appropriately Explain Dance-Movement Therapy And Childhood Cancer, Megan Schaefer

Honors Theses

Cancer is the leading cause of childhood death by disease, and there are many different therapies available to patients. One of the most promising forms of therapy is Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT). DMT is an engaging and creative form of rehabilitation, and focuses on the interaction between the body and mind. With this exercise, patients are able to express their emotional processes through physical movement, allowing for an alternate form of communication.

The way that children engage in DMT is highly influenced by their age and developmental stage. When children are presented with a new task, it may be necessary for …

The Effects Of Media Multitasking On Congitive Control, Seth Thomas

Honors Theses

Research has shown that heavy media multitaskers, people who engage in more than one form of media simultaneously, have a more difficult time distinguishing relevant from irrelevant stimuli when distractions are present (Ophir et al., 2009). Research has also shown that attention-related deficiencies are correlated with deficiencies in prefrontal cortex functioning. Further studies have determined that working memory and prefrontal cortex functioning are linked (Klingberg, 2002). This thesis aimes to examine how the amount of time people engage in media multitasking relates to performance on cognitive ability measures including working memory, attention control, and impulsivity. Results in the first study …

Riddarasögur: Changing Medieval Norway With French Romance Literature, Elizabeth Tuggle

Honors Theses

In the realm of Arthuriana, numerous versions exist of the adventures of King Arthur and his knights. The genre of the riddarasögur – “the sagas of knights” – contains Norwegian versions of these tales along with Norwegian versions of other French literature such as Marie de France’s lais and fabliaux. In the 13th century, King Hákon Hákonarson commissioned the translation of the French tales into Norwegian for the purpose of civilizing Norwegian society in general and the royal court in particular. Given the fair treatment of women and of love in the riddarasögur, King Hákon’s project to civilize his court …

Correlations Between Religion And Book Sales In The Mississippi Gulf Coast Region, Ashley C. Yount

Honors Theses

This thesis will involve how local religious populations might affect the sales of books/book genres on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This paper will endeavor to answer this question: how would local religions affect book sales in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region? Firstly, it will explain the history behind religious literary censorship, as well as listing secular and religious institutions that protest or ban books. Secondly, it will define and categorize literature into genres, mainly fiction and nonfiction, with subgenres including fantasy and spiritual. Similarly, it will record what characteristics such as gender/sexuality, presence of intimate/sexual scenes, violence, supernatural phenomena/creatures, inappropriate …

Magically Empathetic: An Investigation Of Theory Of Mind And Empathy In The Harry Potter Series, Lindsey M. Layman

Honors Theses

Research suggests that reading fiction can increase empathy, and a number of studies have found the Harry Potter series to promote pro-social values. One prosocial value that has not been explored directly in relation to the series, however, is empathy. Defined as “the experience of understanding another person’s condition from their perspective,” empathy is the motivation behind many prosocial behaviors and values, making it an important focus of investigation. In this study, I conduct a textual analysis of the Harry Potter series using the perspective of theory of mind and simulation theory as a guide. After analyzing a range of …

The Effects Of Perinatal Methamphetamine Use On Maternal And Child Outcomes: Implications For Education Among Bsn Nursing Students, Tina Nguyen

Honors Theses

The implications of methamphetamine use are vast and prevalent in the U.S. This epidemic is also well recognized in Tennessee and in Hamilton County. The number of men and women that continue to use methamphetamine speaks to the importance of this issue. Among these individuals, pregnant women comprise a significant portion of female methamphetamine users across the United States. The potential complications that can arise for not only a mother but also her child due to maternal methamphetamine use pose a much more significant issue. The detrimental effects that a child can experience as a result of maternal methamphetamine use …

Effectiveness Of Conservation Education At The Chattanooga Zoo, Luke Allen Black

Honors Theses

Conservation is the central focus of many modern zoos and aquariums. These zoos incorporate guest education to facilitate a connection between zoo guests and animal conservation. I conducted a study at the Chattanooga Zoo and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga which examined two modern zoo education approaches. The two approaches utilized in the study are currently used in keeper chats at the Chattanooga Zoo. The first approach is an emotional appeal (an appeal to the personalities of the chimps at the zoo) and the second approach is a utilization of a take-action initiative (recycling cell phones to reduce mining …

Bsn Student's Perspective Of Departmental Honors Thesis: A Case Study Approach, Kathryn Messier

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to personally recount my experience and adventure constructing a Departmental Honors Thesis in the field of nursing research. This thesis is a case study approach in which I explore the question as to why there is an increase in African American infant mortality as opposed to other races. Nursing implications and theories as well as limitations to the research are included in this study as well. Construction of this thesis was met with great difficulty including an intense literature review, multiple changes in research methodologies, limited clinician participation, etc. Overall, the conclusion of this …

Dreadful Reality: Fear And Madness In The Fiction Of H. P. Lovecraft, Phillip J. Snyder

Honors Theses

The effectiveness of H. P. Lovecraft’s horror relies on an atmosphere of dread in his stories. Both the verisimilitude of Lovecraft’s stories and the dilemma many of his protagonists face in losing their sanity or being perceived to have lost their sanity play a large role in creating this atmosphere. By viewing Lovecraft’s fiction through the lens of recent psychological research on fear, this project shows how his intuitive understanding of fear and his vivid imagery and sensory descriptions conform to our understanding of unconscious automatic threat avoidance behaviors. Because Lovecraft’s behavioral descriptions accurately reflect these behaviors, they increase the …

An Examination Of The Influence Of Social Physique Anxiety On Effort And Exercise Participation In College Students, Trellony M. Irwin

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether an individual’s perception of others influenced exercise participation and effort in women and men participants involved in exercise classes in a campus recreation facility. The study consists of a survey that utilizes the Social Physique Anxiety Scale, the Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale, and demographic information. Results revealed that participants’ social physique anxiety accounted for roughly 30% of the variance in self-reported physical activity. However, when it came to participant effort during the group exercise classes, there was only roughly 2% variance between social physique anxiety and RPE. Further, the …

Agriculture Teacher Couples: Opportunities And Challenges, Kaylan Hope Johnson

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Japanese Business Culture: A Study On Foreigner Integration And Social Inclusion, Sarah Franklin

Honors Theses

With the lack of research and awareness about foreigner integration in the Japanese business working environment, this thesis delves into the underlying factors that influence the perceptions of foreigner integration and social inclusion. Key topics include the history of Japanese business culture, the major differences between American and Japanese business culture, the psychological implications of culture shock on integration, the possibility of ‘below surface’ foreigner integration in the working environment, and the recommended actions by foreigners for better social acceptance and adaptation to the culture. Through observations and interviews, it was discovered that ‘below surface’ integration is possible. However, it …

Through Their Eyes: Exploring Severe Mental Illness Through Short Stories, Emily N. Adkins

Honors Theses

This process statement describes my Honors thesis, which consists of three short stories with characters who each deal with severe mental illness, along with this process statement. Mental illness affects one in every five people in the United States at any given time (NAMI, n.d.). While mental illness is extremely prevalent, there is stigma against it, which has dramatic implications on quality of life for those with mental illness. Research has shown, however, that media can serve as an active intervention in decreasing that stigma. The purpose of this project is that my short stories may lead to decreased stigma …

Shakespeare And Psychology: Emotional Intelligence And Machiavellianism In King Lear And Othello, Justice M. Cundiff

Honors Theses

The current study evaluated the role of emotional intelligence and Machiavellianism in two of William Shakespeare’s tragedies: Othello and King Lear. The general organization of Shakespeare’s tragedies and character development were of particular interest, as the author hypothesized that the presence of emotional intelligence and Machiavellianism in antagonists and protagonists may have a significant effect on the plots of the relevant plays. The current study concluded that the antagonists may be deemed more successful in these Shakespearean tragedies due to the cooperation of two key factors: Machiavellian personalities and higher levels of emotional intelligence than their protagonist counterparts. Potential implications …

Categorized, Indexed, And Tagged, Alexander Bourque

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Addressing Common Mental Health Issues Prevalent Among Honors College Students, Steven Pham

Honors Theses

The prevalence and severity of mental health disorders on college campuses has been increasing nationwide. This review aims to address some of the prevalent mental health issues that continuously plague college students today. Recent trends in college student mental health are analyzed as well as literature regarding common disorders including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. A comparison of honors and non-honors students is provided to contribute to an otherwise lacking area of research surrounding honors student populations. Effective practices and policies for colleges and universities to incorporate into their counseling services are also considered, with viable goals centering on the …

Opportunity Recognition: A Comparative Analysis Of Nascent Student Entrepreneurs And Non-Nascent Students, Daniel C. Glover

Honors Theses

This study investigates differences between undergraduate nascent student entrepreneurs and non-nascent students’ opportunity recognition and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Four hypotheses were presented and after collecting and analyzing 150 student responses two of the four hypotheses were partially or fully supported. Results showed that nascent student entrepreneurs exhibited higher levels of entrepreneurial self-efficacy than non-nascent students, and that nascent student entrepreneurs exhibited higher levels of entrepreneurial alertness than non-nascent students, and the difference was significant. However, non-nascent students had higher levels of opportunity recognition. This study supports previous research and adds an important demographic, undergraduate students, to the existing research.

Personality Traits As Predictors Of Pair-Housing Compatibility In Garnett's Greater Bushbabies (Otolemur Garnettii), Karen A. Schaffer

Honors Theses

Continuously refining husbandry strategies to improve the welfare of captive primates is a research priority. A variety of enrichment strategies are employed to allow captive primates opportunities to exercise natural behaviors with the aim of maintaining their psychological health in environments different from those for which they evolved. Arguably the most important of these strategies is social housing, since primates are by definition social animals. Pair housing is often the most logistically feasible method; however, the process of introducing partners to each other comes with risks of stressful conflict that may result in injury, and the necessarily trial-and-error nature of …

Unreliable Narrators And Racial Stereotypes In Invisible Man And Erasure: A Narratological Approach, Will Horton

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

My Journey To Better Medicine: Healing The Mind-Body Split Through An Integrated Cross-Cultural Model, Harsh Ilapakurthi

Honors Theses

As a future medical doctor, I will always see the process of healing through the hybrid consciousness of my Eastern-Hindu upbringing and Western academic and scientific training. The Eastern philosophy of healing has been linked to consciousness and how the powers of human consciousness can affect the body’s healing. The Western perspective of medicine, which has developed as a result of the industrial and scientific revolutions, generally treats the human body as an object. However, this is not to say that Western medicine is flawed. In fact, Western medicine is incredibly effective in certain specialties, but is limited by the …

Veganism As A Cultural Phenomenon, Emma Sanford Frawley

Honors Theses

The present research is a social science exploration into the adaptation and transition to veganism through the experiences of nineteen interviewees to interpret veganism as a cultural phenomenon. It questions the way in which societal, moral, and physical environments both shape and inform a sense of meaning and action behind an individual's decision to become vegan. Through six narratives, which describe the interviewee's social, geographical, educational, ethical, health-related, and environmental justifications for veganism, and an explanation of interviewee's transition to and perception of the barriers to veganism, this study uses idealist ethnography techniques to reflect the dynamism and intricacies of …

Relations Among Goal Orientation, Well-Being Outcomes, And The Tendency To Engage In Risky Behaviors In Undergraduates, Allison Rosalie Sonneborn

Honors Theses

This research investigates the self-determination theory (SDT) and match perspective, two conflicting theories explaining the relationships among goal orientation, well-being outcomes, and the tendency to engage in risky behaviors. Past research supporting SDT has indicated that intrinsic goal orientation and autonomous regulation are essential to achieving optimal well-being outcomes and less engagement in risky behaviors. Conversely, other studies suggest that the "matching" of environmental goal orientation and personal goal orientation ensure optimal well-being outcomes and reduced engagement in risky behaviors. The present research examined goal orientation through the lens of both theories in an undergraduate sample. Following SDT, it was …