Digital Commons Network^™

The Search Continues: Modernizing The Quest For The Holy Grail In Film, Jody C. Balius

Honors Theses

I focus here on The Natural (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and The Fisher King (1991). These three are clearly Grail-oriented stories that have different definitions of what the Grail truly is and means, but all have characters with internalized quests to find both greatness and peace within themselves. I used a literary approach to analyzing the films’ plots, themes, and motifs. Being a narrative analysis, the study focuses on the plot, characters, and content. Certain visual aspects of the films are also important to these narrative components, but the visual will be discussed insofar as it …

The Level Of Commitment Of Intrinsic Religiosity And Relational Aggression In Middle-Aged Women, Hannah E. Allen

Honors Theses

The study examined the relationship between the level of commitment to intrinsic religiosity and the role of relational aggression in the lives of middle-aged women. Research has shown that middle-aged women participate in relational aggression, but few studies have investigated it. The causes and methods of prevention in relational aggression are something to be considered, and a first step is examining risk and protective factors. Is intrinsic religiosity a protective or risk factor for participating as an instigator in relational aggression? Does intrinsic religiosity actually buffer the negative effects associated with victimization in relational aggression? Based on research that previously …

The Effect Of Joint Attention Intervention Techniques On Expressive Language Ability In Preschool Children With Autism, Beverly L. Locker

Honors Theses

This study sought to investigate the effect of an intervention program for joint attention on joint attention and expressive language skill. The participants were five males with autism spectrum disorders who were attending a reverse inclusion preschool in the southeastern United States. The investigator observed the participants in their classrooms over a five-week period. The most significant finding was variation in the participants’ joint attention and language behaviors. Only one participant showed improvement across the period of the study. One important clinical implication from this study is the idea that therapy for joint attention might be more effective in a …

Holy Experiments And Unholy Acts: Sex, Law, And Religion In Colonial Massachusetts, Rhode Island, And Pennsylvania, Anna L. Todd

Honors Theses

This thesis uses the law codes and court cases of sexual misconduct from the colonies of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania to determine the degree to which the colonies’ stated understandings of the relationship between church and state were practically applied to the governing of their societies as well as how that understanding affected the daily lives of colonial women. Thus, this analysis uses the lens of female sexual deviance to determine the degree to which church and state were integrated or separated within the three colonies.

Chapter 1 discuses the law as it was written. It examines the sexual …

Super Terror: The Complex Relationship Between Sequential Art And Real World Political Violence, Tyler R. Chance

Honors Theses

While scholars have recognized that the media plays a very important role in the understanding of terrorism and other forms of political violence, alternative and popular forms of media (such as the Comic Strip, Graphic Novel, Cartoon, etc.) have not been examined as closely by social scientists.

This research is concerned with the reaction by graphic narratives to events of terror and the graphic work as a way of influencing the public in its opinion of terror.

The main piece examined is Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta which was made as a discussion of the justification of terror witch specific …

Mending The Mind With Dharma, Jason Brown

Honors Theses

Anxiety, depression, and tragedy are all unavoidable aspects of existence that we find ourselves grappling with at some point in our lives. In those darker moments we often look beyond ourselves for a means to cope with our struggles in the hopes of transcending into enhanced states of being. The world¿s religions have provided various answers to problems of mental and physical affliction. Across cultures and throughout history, numerous techniques for ¿mending the mind¿ have emerged, conditioned by a number of factors, including the normative values of a society as well as the scientific advances and technologies available for therapeutic …

Contemporary Hollywood And The Attention Economy, Caitlin Falco

Honors Theses

This thesis had two goals: to explore the transformation of Hollywood from the 1930s to present, and to investigate how Contemporary Hollywood functions in a growing attention economy. Evident in the types of films that it produces as well as its evolving industrial structure, Contemporary Hollywood significantly differs from the Classical Hollywood of the 1930s. New digital technologies like surround sound and computer-generated imagery (CGI) have allowed studios to create a different type of film like the blockbuster and to have more extensive control over their films. Additionally, growing exhibition and distribution platforms have also fundamentally altered the industrial landscape …

Disagreeable, Villainous, And Wimpy: The Child As Antihero In Burnett, Colfer, And Kinney, Blakely J. Owens

Honors Theses

Although children’s literature is often dismissed as largely didactic and supportive of entrenched power structures, an examination of the antihero’s development in children’s literature reveals the genre’s complexity and subtle challenges of social mores. Critics focus extensive attention on the redemption of a less-than-ideal character from social deviancy to normalcy in fiction for young readers, but more rarely do they discuss those characters that remain static in their lack of heroic qualities and fail as role models for children. The on-going discussion on conventional subgenres like the school story does not often include texts that subvert the form with bullying …

Black Empowerment And Mobilization: A Comparison Of Urban And Small City Trends, Samantha D. Rayborn

Honors Theses

This research to follow compares voting trends between blacks in urban cities and smaller, non-urban cities. The research aims to replicate the findings based on studies of large cities that blacks tend to have higher or lower turnout rates when there is a black public office holder. Election results were taken from mayoral elections in Alexandria, LA and Monroe, LA. Previous research indicates that blacks have a high rate of turnout in urban areas when there is a black elected official. However, does this effect hold true in non-urban, small cities? Blacks in smaller, non-urban cities, this study finds, do …

Dive Into The Pit: Moshing And Its Effects On Perceived Stress, Sense Of Belonging, & Self-Esteem In College Undergraduates, William Tyler Edwards

Honors Theses

Moshing has been underrepresented in the research field. This is especially true in the area of Therapeutic Recreation. Moshing has been seen as a dangerous and violent form of dance. However, in a controlled environment moshing has the potential to be used as a therapeutic modality.

This study examined the effects of moshing on perceived stress, sense of belonging, and self esteem in undergraduate college students at the University of Southern Mississippi. Data was collected during a five-week moshing dance session through the use of three assessments/surveys, which included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Rosenburg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the …

Explaining Leisure Interests, Personality, Work Centrality, And Vocational Interests, Stormy Z. Speaks

Honors Theses

The current study examined the relations between leisure interests and other vocational constructs among undergraduate university students. Methods included utilizing previously obtained data from a sample of 194 undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota, where study measures were given in 2007. Data collected included the Leisure Interest Questionnaire, used to determine leisure interests and activities outside the workplace; the International Personality Item Pool, a measure of five main personality traits; and the Strong Interest Inventory, a measure of vocational interests. Work centrality, or the importance of the role of work, was also assessed to determine the relations between leisure …

Color Theory: The Effects Of Color In Medical Environments, Sarah E. Babin

Honors Theses

The relationship between color and the environments we live in is one of great dynamics. It not only helps us to define our personal spaces, but it can also affect our temperaments and our reactions. In the medical field, color is equally as important, as it has the ability to heal and to comfort. A combination of literature review and a short survey were utilized in order to find out exactly how color can influence our mood. While previous studies and other research have been conducted, the use of a new survey helped to confirm the findings. In previous studies, …

Attitudes Of Clinically Practicing Registered Nurses In Southern Mississippi Toward Physician-Assisted Death, Robin E. Smith

Honors Theses

Problem

The purpose of this study is to discover unique themes related to the attitudes of nurses in Southern Mississippi toward physician-assisted death (PAD).

Methods

This study is a qualitative, inductive content analysis. The sample comprised three registered nurses currently practicing in Southern Mississippi. The researcher guided each participant’s one-hour interview with questions, then recorded and transcribed the texts for data analysis; and coded and analyzed data. Themes were selected if there was inter-rater agreement of 100% between the researcher and thesis adviser.

Results

The interview questions focused on (a) the presence or absence of support for legalization of PAD, …

The Portraiture Of Women During The Italian Renaissance, Rachel D. Masters

Honors Theses

From research, it is clear that gender is one of the greatest influences on Italian Renaissance portraiture. Gender affects multiple aspects of portraiture including its function, position of sitter, emphasis of costume, and the degree to which a sitter is idealized. Until recent years, art historians performed little research on the subject of women as seen in Italian Renaissance paintings. In the 1970s, scholars began to assess the representation of women from this time period using Renaissance treatises, recorded debates, and paintings.

This study of the portraiture of women during the Italian Renaissance seeks to interpret the function of portraiture, …

Study Of Students' Knowledge Of The Profession Of Graphic Design, Rachael C. Thomas

Honors Theses

Research, or rather the lack thereof, seems to indicate a lack of appreciation for graphic design, designers themselves, and the work they do in both the public and scholarly society. Without proper acknowledgement from the public and academia, graphic design as a profession is in danger of disappearing. The problem may stem from graphic design being a relatively new field if one is to think of it as really taking off with the invention of computers. This lack of understanding may also contribute to the absence of a single definition for graphic design. To address these concerns, this study will …

The Relation Of Adhd Characteristics To Positive Illusory Bias Among Gifted Elementary Students: Iq As A Possible Moderator, Meredith S. Manguno

Honors Theses

The current study examined the relation between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) characteristics and Positive Illusory Bias (PIB) in gifted elementary students. Children with ADHD have a propensity toward a PIB—or seeing themselves in a more positive light than other standards would indicate—even among domains in which they struggle (Owens, Goldfine, Evangelista, Hoza, & Kaiser, 2007). This tendency toward a PIB may be linked with their encounters of a great number of setbacks and could be a way to create hope and positivity. In comparison, gifted students frequently meet and surpass goals, often with few setbacks. Thus, twice-exceptional students (e.g., gifted students …

The Relationship Between Attitudes And Achievement In Mathematics Among Fifth Grade Students, Madeleine P. Michelli

Honors Theses

There have been a number of studies investigating how attitudes such as confidence and motivation affect students and their academic achievement. This study was conducted to identify specifically how fifth grade students’ attitudes affect their achievement in mathematics. Gender was studied to determine its effect on attitude and achievement. Furthermore, various types of personality traits were studied including extroversion, conscientiousness, self-control, and intellectual efficiency to determine their effects on achievement. To gather the data a questionnaire including a Likert scale survey and a math test was administered. The results indicated that there is a significant relationship between attitudes toward and …

The Relationship Between Calcium Intake And Body Mass Index In The Participants Of Hub City Steps, Laura P. Ewoldt

Honors Theses

Background: The social, economic, and health impacts of unhealthy dietary behaviors and sedentary lifestyles are quite significant and even more so in the rural South. The majority of individuals in the US do not adhere to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, specifically fruits, vegetables, and calcium.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to address the issue of calcium intake and obesity in a population of primarily African American women in south Mississippi and to determine if levels of calcium intake had a relationship with body mass index.

Methods and Analysis: Data for the current study was …

Exploring The Influence Of Students’ Socioeconomic Status Upon Musical Instrument Choice, Laterence E. Varnado

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) of students on their instrument choice. Information about SES and instrument choices could be valuable to music educators, especially at the beginning band level. If socioeconomic status affects instrument choice, teachers who recommend instruments to students may more effectively prescribe choices and take considerations for their students. Also, it would be helpful to know if certain students from certain socioeconomic groups are predisposed to certain choices or restrict themselves to certain instruments.

A sample population of band students was taken from two schools. One school had …

On The Relation Between Parenting Practices And Pathological Narcissism In Adolescents, Kristen L. Mechanic

Honors Theses

The present study examined the relation between parenting practices and grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. The study used the self-report data of 407 adolescents (348 males, 57 females, 2 unreported) who were enrolled in a residential program in the summer and fall of 2011 and 2012. Participants completed a battery of surveys, including the Pathological Narcissism Inventory and the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. Findings link grandiose narcissism to positive parenting practices and poor monitoring and supervision, with positive reinforcement and poor monitoring and supervision predicting unique variance in adolescent grandiose narcissism. Vulnerable narcissism was significantly positively correlated with the negative parenting practices …

An Examination Of The Social Functions Of Mouth Behaviors In Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Kirsten E. Lapuyade

Honors Theses

This project examines the social functions of mouthing behaviors in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). The Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) houses dolphins which are captive but in a natural habitat. The twenty-six dolphins are used in human interactions, but for the rest of their time they are allowed to roam naturally. These dolphins make it possible to examine natural social behavior in a captive setting. The following study examines video data of these dolphins obtained by Dr. Stan Kuczaj in 2009. Behavior of the dolphins in these videos was recorded, the primary focus being mouthing behaviors.

There …

Moral Foundherentism, Jonathan L. Cain

Honors Theses

There exists a long standing debate between foundationalism and coherentism in epistemology. To resolve this debate, Susan Haack argues for a third, alternative theory—foundherentism—that incorporates the good elements of both foundationalism and coherentism while avoiding their shortcomings. It incorporates the foundationalist view that experiential input is necessary for empirical justification. And it incorporates the coherentist view that all beliefs can be justified in virtue of their mutually supportive relationships with other beliefs.

The debate between foundationalism and coherentism extends to moral epistemology. I will employ the same sort of strategy in an attempt to resolve this intractable dispute. I will …

Facebook As A Job Screening Tool: Are Sales Employers Discriminating Against Job Applicants Based On Their Facebook Profiles?, Jocelyn M. Lockhart

Honors Theses

Social media networking sites are an exceptionally popular resource of self-expression in modern society. They allow friends, families and lovers across the globe to connect and stay in touch with one another. It has become increasingly common for hiring employers to utilize these sites as job-screening platforms. This research will explore how sales employers specifically examine job candidates’ Facebook profiles. Furthermore it will examine whether or not they are discriminating against these applicants based on their Facebook content.

The Effects Of Music On Foreign Language Retention In Elementary Schools, Hayley M. Collins

Honors Theses

There are a variety of different strategies educators have to choose from when deciding to teach a foreign language in their elementary school classroom. Although this is so, there are still educators who choose to rely on the traditional method of rote memorization. Interactive play allows the students to be hands-on when learning foreign language vocabulary rather than simply memorizing it. Music is also incorporated into interactive play to see its effects on retaining the knowledge students are learning. Both of these, music and interactive play, were used in this study to prove that the combination of the two is …

Assessing Behavior Change Related To Acute Stress Exposure In The Zebrafish, Christine E. Breazeale

Honors Theses

Stress affects how we function in all aspects of our lives. It is our physiological response to a threat. In fact, its origins were very adaptive. Stress can cause an animal to flee a predator and avoid being eaten. In today’s society, stress can prompt us to work harder to achieve a good education or promotion at work so that we can afford food, shelter, and entertainment. But stress can also impair performance at work, on tests, and even can cause long-term bodily harm. In order to fully understand the deleterious effects of stress and thereby properly treat it, it …

Behavorial Lateralization Of Pectoral Fin Rubbing Researched In 27 Identified Bottlenose Dolphins, Brittany R. Poelma

Honors Theses

This thesis takes a look at the behavioral lateralization of handedness present or not present within the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) population housed at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences. Dolphins and humans share similar brain structures in that the brain is split into hemispheres that allow an individual to present behaviorally dominate features on different sides of their body. This type of split brain structure allows for a phenomenon known as handedness, where one hand presents dominant motor control. For dolphins, their “hand” is their pectoral fin. This thesis looked at a managed care population to investigate …

The Relation Between Language And Social Skills In Children With Down Syndrome: Examination Of Pressure Equalization Tube Placement During The Critical Developmental Period, Brandi M. Ellis

Honors Theses

The current study examined the relation among status regarding placement of pressure equalization tubes (PET), expressive language, receptive language, and social skills in children with Down syndrome. Previous research has documented the importance of PET placement for children with Down syndrome who suffer from chronic otitis media during the critical developmental period for language —not only to treat ear infections but also to prevent permanent damage leading to hearing loss. For the current study, the critical developmental period was defined as birth to 36 months. Parents and teachers of three children with Down syndrome (ages 12 to 15 years) completed …

Teacher Stress And Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Annie M. Ellis

Honors Theses

There are many factors that can contribute to teacher stress in a primary school classroom. The classroom experience can be examined through various aspects, including the particular types of students that make up the class. Teachers can experience stress at a variety of levels in response to certain situations in their classroom experience, such as the presence of students with suspected and/or diagnosed ADD/ADHD in the classroom. Previous research has argued that teaching these students can be more challenging than when teaching other students. In this study, stress was measured using an altered version of the Perceived Stress Scale. The …

Instrument-Specific Music Performance Anxiety, Aaron L. Manning

Honors Theses

For the musician, the occurrence of Music Performance Anxiety is a certainty. The extent, severity, and type of symptom of Music Performance Anxiety experienced vary depending on the performer. The instrument’s role in Music Performance Anxiety, however, might also be a factor in the type of symptom experienced by a performer. Does the type of instrument played lend itself to certain physical symptoms of Music Performance Anxiety? By studying the students of the University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Music, this thesis explores the relationship between instrument types and physical symptoms of Music Performance Anxiety. Its ultimate goal is to …

How Do Relationship Labels Affect Partner Treatment And Relationship Status Perceptions?, Katie Golub

Honors Theses

The present research examined which terms are most used by college students to define relationships, and how these various terms prime or affect partner treatment and relationship status perceptions. Once primed with the labels ¿hooking-up,¿ ¿exclusive¿ or ¿boyfriend/girlfriend,¿ it was hypothesized that public displays of affection, commitment, jealousy and sociosexuality would influence partner treatment. The results indicate that being primed with various relationship labels does influence public displays of affection. This priming does not influence jealousy, and it influences commitment on some occasions. The data collected can further our understanding of relationship dynamics among college students by differentiating between various …