Digital Commons Network^™

Analyzing The Growing Islamic Radicalization In France, Virginia Ruth Brommer

Honors Theses

Islamic radicalization in European countries is becoming more and more prevalent, as evidenced by the number of recent attacks by Muslims in Europe. I argue that the social, religious, and psychological environment in France creates a unique opportunity for Islamic radicalization, particularly through social media and in prisons. After defining radicalization and explaining two radicalization processes as well as different types of radicals, I analyze the specific factors present in France that contribute to this radicalization. I use case study analysis to examine several French citizens who radicalized, either online or in prison, in order to show how the recruiter …

The Theoretical Argument For Disproving Asymptotic Upper-Bounds On The Accuracy Of Part-Of-Speech Tagging Algorithms: Adopting A Linguistics, Rule-Based Approach, William Foley

Honors Theses

This paper takes a deep dive into a particular area of the interdisciplinary domain of Computational Linguistics, Part-of-Speech Tagging algorithms. The author relies primarily on scholarly Computer Science and Linguistics papers to describe previous approaches to this task and the often-hypothesized existence of the asymptotic accuracy rate of around 98%, by which this task is allegedly bound. However, after doing more research into why the accuracy of previous algorithms have behaved in this asymptotic manner, the author identifies valid and empirically-backed reasons why the accuracy of previous approaches do not necessarily reflect any sort of general asymptotic bound on the …

Practical Faith: How Southern Black Women And White Women Used Their Faith In Pursuit Of Equality, Holly Baer

Honors Theses

This thesis explores how Southern black and white women used their Christian faith in the pursuit of racial and gender equality, showing how feminist theory and religious doctrine function in reality and everyday practice. The first chapter looks at upper and middle class white women's experiences from the Antebellum period through the early twentieth century, and shows how they used their faith to gain autonomy by manipulating common religious beliefs of the time. The second chapter examines black women's experiences, primarily during the Civil Rights Era, and shows that black women had to approach equality as vocal activists, rather than …

Design And Synthesis Of Dual Opioids/Npff Ligands As Novel Analgesics With Reduced Tolerance Potential, John N. Yi

Honors Theses

Opioid use has become prevalent in today's culture. As a treatment for acute and chronic pain, opioids permeate in the public sphere as a seemingly easy solution. However, problems that come from the increased use of opiates, especially in the last fifteen years, have shown detrimental effects in society. Not only are all opioid-based analgesics considered addictive, but the nature of such painkillers also enables a phenomenon known as tolerance, where the body adapts to the use of exogenous opioids. This creates a situation where a more potent dose of painkiller is required for the same analgesic effect. The focus …

An Examination Of The College Major Decisions Of Students At The University Of Mississippi, Jonathan P. Evans

Honors Theses

Factors such as socio-economic status affect students' level of educational aspiration. Furthermore, major (and thus career choice) may be influenced by race or gender. This study demonstrates the effects of academic aptitude, race, gender, first generation status, and importance of expected future earnings on undergraduate students' college major decision. More specifically, this study examines if these factors lead to an increase or decrease in the probability of students choosing a major in a specific field. The likelihood of choosing a major in a specific field is relative a baseline category, which can be changed.

More Than Skin Deep: An Examination Of The Negative Effects Of Advertising On Women, Kathryn A. Bridgers

Honors Theses

This thesis will examine how the way women are portrayed in advertising creates an unattainable ideal standard of beauty and negatively affects the self- image of women. The first chapter will look back on the history of advertising to women. It will examine where this ideal standard of beauty originated from and how it was spread throughout American society. The next chapter explores how advertisers use specific psychological techniques to sell not only a product to consumers, but also sell an ideal, attitude or lifestyle. The third chapter examines trends in advertisements, such as objectifying and sexualizing women, stereotyping women …

Exogenous Barriers To The Incorporation Of The Second Generation North Africans In France, Amber Malone

Honors Theses

Immigration is a polemic subject in French society today. The 2005 riots in the banlieue and the government's response to the outraged and discontented immigrant populations brought forth a topic left out of public discourse for years before the heavily televised protests. At the forefront of this public debate surrounding identity and incorporation was one of France's largest immigrant populations, North Africans. Marginalization of a particular group often appears in the terms of social and cultural conflict. While this is true, incorporation of the culture of migrants and their representation in French society are not the only exogenous factors that …

Analysis Of Joint Dysfunction During An Aging- Simulation, Laboratory Exercise For Allied Health Students, Anna E. O'Connor

Honors Theses

The aim of this experiment was to (1) develop and assess a joint-dysfunction simulation learning and sensitization activity for a Human Anatomy and Physiology I lab on joint structure and function (Part A) and (2) quantify the range of motion experienced during the simulation (Part B). The lab protocol allowed 318 allied health students to experience some of the physical limitations of aging, specifically arthritis, by asking them to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) while wearing simulation equipment that inhibited their range of movement. In Part A, students completed a pre- simulation survey, which assessed the students' knowledge about …

Dreams About Food, Benson R. Ingram

Honors Theses

The stories contained in this collection are entirely fictional, and any resemblance to reality is just your imagination. The source materials for these stories were dreams I had. Most of my dreams are about food

The Person You're Waiting For: Stories, Charles Ramsay Mccrory

Honors Theses

This collection of short fiction explores family, grief, and trauma from a variety of perspectives. Other themes spanning these five stories include parent-child bonds, addiction and recovery, and sexuality. Two pairs of stories (The Parents and The Painter, and Johnnie Walker and Staying Late, respectively) are linked in terms of character and setting; the middle story, Limits, is linked only tenuously to the last two stories through a common character. As stated in my introduction, I wrote each story on its own terms; I did not consider each story's placement in a collection until I had written and edited them …

Effects Of Coloring On Immediate Short-Term Stress Relief, Courtney Simmons

Honors Theses

Although research has not yet examined adult coloring books specifically, research suggests that artmaking can reduce negative affect, improve mood, and reduce anxiety (Drake & Hodge, 2015; Pizarro, 2004) and that coloring, specifically, can reduce anxiety on a short-term basis (Curry & Kasser, 2005; van der Vennet & Serice, 2012). These short-term effects are seen more strongly when participants are using art as a form of distraction from their negative feelings rather than as a way to vent (Dalebroux et al., 2008; De Petrillo & Winner, 2005; Drake & Winner, 2012). The present study seeks to expand upon this knowledge …

War Chiefs And Generals: The Transformation Of Warfare In The Eastern Woodlands, Dalton Capps

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I examine how military strategies and tactics of Native Americans and Euro Americans changed over time after they came into contact with each other in the Eastern Woodlands. I accomplish this goal by covering in detail three conflicts: Hernando De Soto's expedition into the Southeastern United States, King Philip's War, and the Northwest Indian War. By using these three conflicts, I examine this transformation from both a temporal and spatial perspective. I approach this point of inquiry by using a variety of primary and secondary sources. The secondary sources come from a variety of fields, but mainly …

Paleolithic Protection In A Western World: A Look Into Preagricultural Nutrition As A Remedy For The Diseases Of Civilization, Emilie R. Caron

Honors Theses

The aim of this investigation is to discover the associations of the Western diet to noncommunicable diseases and to determine if a reversion to a Paleolithic diet will provide treatment and prevention of these diseases. Noncommunicable diseases, otherwise known as Diseases of Civilization, are lifestyle influenced diseases and encompass obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and associated cancers. Incidences of these diseases have skyrocketed in the past century and show no signs of decline. Since 1900, the death rates due to heart disease and cancer have risen to account for 47% of total deaths in the United States in 2010. (Tippett, …

The Effects Of Thc On Attentional Bias To Emotional Stimuli, Sydney N. Haberberger

Honors Theses

The current study tested the hypothesis that the effects of THC on affect are mediated by the ability of THC to alter attentional bias to positive and negative stimuli. The study was completed by 16 participants, all of whom were consistent marijuana users. During sessions, participants used a machine called a Quantified Smoke Delivery System, which delivers a controlled amount of smoke to the user, to smoke either a cigarette that contained THC or a placebo cigarette. After smoking, participants would complete a task. During tasks, participants were placed in an eye tracking apparatus in order to record the movement …

"I Don't Think Of All The Misery, But Of The Beauty That Still Remains": Holocaust Education In The Music Classroom, Kathryn Eileen Stiadle

Honors Theses

On June 26, 2014, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett signed a law requiring mandatory Holocaust and Genocide education in all Pennsylvania schools. This legislation, the result of efforts made by Holocaust author and advocated Rhonda Fink-Whitman, made Pennsylvania the sixth state to require Holocaust and Genocide education. However, the law does not state how to teach about this rather difficult topic. According to anthropologist and ethnomusicologist Alan Merriam, one of the functions of music in any society is "emotional expression." Because music gives us the ability to convey emotions in a way that speech perhaps cannot, it is a beneficial tool …

Fan Perceptions Of Selling Alcoholic Beverages At A College Football Stadium, Danielle E. Hennessy

Honors Theses

Consuming alcohol while watching a sporting event has become a tradition within the sport commnnity. Almost one in ten sports fans leave major league stadiums with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit, with 40% of spectators consuming alcohol during the game (Lopatto, 2011). Due to this tradition, many colleges and universities have struggled to answer the question, should alcohol be sold at our athletic events? To answer this question research has been done on many factors including binge drinking, violence and safety, alcohol control policies, tailgating and attendance.

Family Centered Care In Icu Settings, Victoria Kingsinger

Honors Theses

More than 5 million patients are admitted each year to Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the US, and approximately 55,000 critically ill patients are cared for each day. ICU patients are a diverse population that has a need for an increased level of care. These patients often require ventilatory or cardiovascular support, invasive monitoring, and intense nursing and physician observation (Society of Critical Care Medicine, 2015). There are five primary admitting diagnoses for adults, which include respiratory failure, postoperative management, ischemic heart disorders, and sepsis. The mean age of patients is rising, particularly due to the baby boom generation, and …

Experiential Avoidance Post-Trauma: Investigating Predictors Of Traumatic Stress And Problematic Behavior., Elise Trim

Honors Theses

Experiential avoidance (EA) is the unwillingness to remain in contact with distressing thoughts, feelings, memories, and other private experiences (Hayes et al., 2004; Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 1999). Although the use of EA may lead to immediate reductions in distress, prolonged use can result in problem behaviors such as substance misuse (Hayes, Wilson, Gifford, Follette, & Strosahl, 1996). Although a strong temporal relationship has yet to be established, findings suggest a possibility that EA could be a mechanism by which posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are developed and maintained (Krause, Mendelson, & Lynch, 2003; Rosenthal, Polusny, & Follette, 2006; Dvorak, …

Parentification, Alicia Wayne

Honors Theses

The phenomena of Parentification. Parentification is best outlined by Boszormenyi-Nagy & Spark (1973), as a family process in which children or adolescents assume adult responsibilities and/or parental roles that may be developmentally inappropriate. There has been much research done on the topic of Parentification and the effects of the psychopathology on the individual. (e.g. substance abuse, depression, self-esteem, recidivism, anxiety, etc.) Although some research has been done on birth order and/or family structure and how it correlates to parentification, no published research was found on parentification and its repercussions or ramifications for the youngest sibling(s) (i.e. those adolescent’s that were …

Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Study Of Mikey, Gabrielle Lober

Honors Theses

This paper describes Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) including diagnostic criteria, suspected causes, prevalence, comorbidities, and influences on client factors. A hypothetical case study is presented to give readers an illustration of what someone with ASD might look like. Possible treatment based on evidence and selected frame of references will be given for the hypothetical client. This paper is not all inclusive of the role of occupational therapy in the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder, but gives an illustrative example.

John Jasper: The Creation Of A Character, Blake Price

Honors Theses

On November 13th, 2015, I will be participating in my last mainstage performance at Western Michigan University. To say I’m excited to be finishing my college career as John Jasper in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, would be an absolute understatement. Over the course of the past three and a half years, I have had the rare privilege to split my time evenly between performing plays and musicals, which does not always happen for Music Theatre Performance majors. The ability to work with new directors on a variety of different styles of plays and musicals has given me the opportunity …

The Impact Of Globalization On Access For Individuals With Disabilities, Katherine Williamson

Honors Theses

This comparative ethnomethodology study is focused on the global context elements that help explain public policies and its consequences on types of access available to individuals with disabilities in the United States Midwest and West Africa. The goal of this study is to identify the role of individuals with disabilities in a global society by answering two research questions. First, what are the public policies in place for physical, social, and educational access in the United States Midwest and West Africa? Second, how is physical, social, and educational access being provided in the United States Midwest and West Africa? The …

Imagery, Prayer, And Mind Wandering: Kataphatic Prayer, Martha M. O. Duah

Honors Theses

Mind wandering—reduced attention to external events—during prayer could pose a problem for Christians. However, different types of prayer make different cognitive demands. Kataphatic prayer, a common type of evangelical Christian prayer, makes use of mental imagery in hopes of experiencing God in a richer sense. Because both mind wandering and kataphatic prayer require imagery, tying up imagery resources in kataphatic prayer should block mind wandering thereby improving focus. Participants in this study prayed as they normally do, viewed a visual task, or engaged in kataphatic prayer while self-monitoring for mind wandering.

Academic Competence: Incoming Fall Freshman Vs. Spring Freshman, Her-Schel Lewis

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Trickster And Queen, Jagjit Sidhu

Honors Theses

The trickster is a primary motif that appears in numerous cultures in the form of a mischievous and impulsive character, who tricks others to get what he wants. However, in reality the trickster is far from a simple-minded clown. He is actually very complex and sees through the facade of society and it’s strict hypocritical cultures and traditions, seeking to challenge these mechanisms that restrict the flow of logic and pleasure. For this paper, I will theoretically analyze the mechanism of the trickster, and the intimate relation between his trickery and his role as a culture-hero. I will apply this …

The Effects Of Prompted Tutoring On An Emporium Model Math Course, Juliette Michelle Young

Honors Theses

My research goal is to investigate how specific prompting of students would affect their involvement and progress in an emporium developmental math course. With the aim of increasing the students’ involvement and progress I tested a method that was in tended to increase students’ perceived connectedness with the classroom and promote the use of the available tutors and teachers. I monitored consenting students’ progress in the Spring 2015 courses and sent emails to students who met any one of three different criterion: (1) If the students time investment was below a threshold. (2) If the student’s mastery pace was less …

Creando Las Estrellas: Determining The Quality Of The Dominican And Cuban Player Development Systems, Samuel C. Hearn

Honors Theses

Recently, there has been a huge rise in the number of Cuban ballplayers, or peloteros, as the baseball playing Latinos are known. Why do Major League Baseball (MLB) teams go to such lengths to sign Cubans, when a heavy presence already exists in Cuba’s Caribbean neighbor, the Dominican Republic? Through the comparison educational systems, statistics of each country’s elite players, and comparative accounts of the Dominican and Cuban player development systems, the contrast between the two systems is evident. Though the Dominican system creates a large return in the investment MLB teams make in the country, the socialized sport system …

Black And White Advertising In Fashion Magazines, Lauren E. Necaise

Honors Theses

This thesis consists of a quantitative analysis with respect to black and white advertising in select women’s fashion magazines. There were five research questions outlined.

A code sheet was created to obtain data with regard to factors including: number of black and white and total advertisements, product/service category, setting, advertisement size, percent of black and white of the ad, position, product/user, black and white visual and verbal (words/ information), emotional/intellectual appeal. This allowed the research questions to be answered. A qualitative analysis was also performed on repeat advertisements for products that used both color and black and white advertising with …

Influence Of Benagene Supplementation In Conjunction With High Intensity Cycling Exercise, Wilson P. Simmons

Honors Theses

High intensity aerobic performance is determined by the body’s maximal ability to match lactate production and clearance rates, defined as the lactate threshold (LaTh). Intensities performed above the LaTh result in accumulation of lactate causing fatigue. In a double-blind experiment, using trained cyclists and triathletes, we investigated skeletal muscle adaptations that occurred following 28-days of Benagene supplementation (oxaloacetate). The testing protocol consisted of an initial cycle test (T1) to measure VO₂max, LaTh, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), power output (PO) and heart rate (HR). Testing began after a 15-min warm-up at 75W, beginning at 100W, increasing 30W each 3-min …

Democratizing Dionysus: The Origins Controversy And The Dual Evolution Of Tragedy And Civism, Belen Plaza-Gainza

Honors Theses

Finding the origins of tragedy has been a fascinating subject since late antiquity, and it continues to be a source of academic debate. The controversy I have examined is from the early years of our twenty-first century, and has questioned the testimony of Aristotle, opening the debate once again. The evidence continues to prove that tragedy’s origins were religious, and even though there is no hard evidence to prove that it evolved from Dionysiac ritual, there is no hard evidence to disprove this theory either.

I have taken this opportunity to examine the origins of tragedy from its evolution, which …