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2015

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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Of The Centalized Renewable Energy System (Cres) At Nebraska Innovation Campus, Matan Gill, Adam Liska Jan 2015

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Of The Centalized Renewable Energy System (Cres) At Nebraska Innovation Campus, Matan Gill, Adam Liska

Adam Liska Papers

The Centralized Renewable Energy System (CRES) at Nebraska Innovation Campus (NIC) is a heat-exchanger system that utilizes reclaimed, non-drinkable water from the nearby water treatment plant to heat and cool a projected 1.675 million square feet of office and lab space. A greenhouse gas emissions inventory was estimated for the CRES operating at full build-out of the campus in 2035, compared to conventional office space, being a control system with standard chiller and boiler configuration. The control system is estimated to emit 30,787 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent per year (Mg CO2e yr-1), whereas heating and cooling Nebraska …

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Käthe Kollwitz’S Imagery Of Maternal Loss, Emma Claire Wolin Jan 2015

Käthe Kollwitz’S Imagery Of Maternal Loss, Emma Claire Wolin

Theses & ETDs

Käthe Kollwitz (1867 – 1945) created imagery of maternal loss that was a radical departure from the sentimental and tender depictions of motherhood that were common in the late nineteenth century. Kollwitz’s imagery of maternal loss is compelling for her portrayal of the suffering a mother experiences at the loss of a child. Though her imagery has its roots in the Christian tradition of the Pietà, or Mary mourning the dead Christ, Kollwitz removes it from the religious realm and suspends the mother and dead child in time and place. I examine what factors enabled Kollwitz’s radically different imagery of …

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Out Of Control: The Psychological Benefits Of Creative Exercises For Different Levels Of Situational Control, Fusha Del Mar Mitchell Jan 2015

Out Of Control: The Psychological Benefits Of Creative Exercises For Different Levels Of Situational Control, Fusha Del Mar Mitchell

Theses & ETDs

The goal of this research was to examine how different creative exercises benefit people in situations involving low versus high control. To do this, participants were assigned to either a low control situation (in which they did not have many choices for their behavior) or a high control situation (in which they did have many choices for their behavior). Participants then completed either an art-focused creative exercise or a writing-focused creative exercise. Participants completed measures of psychological well-being before and after the creative exercise. Anxiety and depression measures both reduced slightly overall from pre-test to post-test. This is in the …

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Possessing The Past: History And Heritage At The Mosque-Cathedral Of Córdoba, Dorigen W. Martin Jan 2015

Possessing The Past: History And Heritage At The Mosque-Cathedral Of Córdoba, Dorigen W. Martin

Theses & ETDs

The Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba is an active cathedral in Spain whose structure is largely that of an eighth-century Andalusi mosque. The site’s history has allowed it to be inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and has made it a tourist destination. Given these things, this study examines how heritage is constructed in relation and contrast to history. Furthermore, it looks at how the past is understood and used at the Mosque-Cathedral by different groups. These conflicting interests draw upon the same history in distinct ways to stake their own claims (both sacred and secular) on the building, in a confrontation …

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Played To The Bone: Skeletal Trauma, Assumptions Of Warfare, And An Apalachee Ballgame In Spanish La Florida, Nancy Shipley Jan 2015

Played To The Bone: Skeletal Trauma, Assumptions Of Warfare, And An Apalachee Ballgame In Spanish La Florida, Nancy Shipley

Theses & ETDs

In the study of violence, warfare and conflict are often seen as inherent among certain groups of people. This is especially true for colonial populations wherein the image of the snarling native is preserved so vividly from popular media. In this thesis, I attempt to combat those views by using bioarchaeology to show that trauma in the archaeological record is not always caused by warfare. In the first chapter I discuss a meaning of violence and its use in social context. In the second chapter, I present an overview of bioarchaeology in Spanish La Florida. The third chapter deals with …

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Bioinformatic Approaches To Microsatellite Discovery And Primer Design In The Dakota Skipper (Hesperia Dacotae) Genome, Lucia Guatney Jan 2015

Bioinformatic Approaches To Microsatellite Discovery And Primer Design In The Dakota Skipper (Hesperia Dacotae) Genome, Lucia Guatney

Theses & ETDs

The Dakota skipper (Hesperia dacotae) is a tall grass prairie obligate. Since the colonization of Europeans in North America, 99% of its tall grass prairie habitat has been destroyed. As a result, abundance of the rare butterfly is declining. The advent of next-generation sequencing has made available large amounts of low-cost molecular data that can be applied to studying the genetics of endangered populations as indicators of threat levels and to better inform wildlife management. A popular marker for such studies are microsatellites necessitating primers for PCR amplification of these loci. This project investigates the capabilities and optimization of QDD, …

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Climate Change Impacts On Mosquito-Borne Diseases: A Closer Look At Malaria And Dengue, Marisa Godfrey Jan 2015

Climate Change Impacts On Mosquito-Borne Diseases: A Closer Look At Malaria And Dengue, Marisa Godfrey

Theses & ETDs

A new focus of international concern over climate change is the impacts it could have on vector-borne diseases. This thesis specifically looks at two mosquito-borne diseases: malaria and dengue. The ecology of malaria including the vector Anopheles and the parasite plasmodium are examined and how each relates to different climate drivers. Similarly, I examine the ecology of dengue including the vector Aedes and the virus, and how each of those relates to climate drivers. In light of climate and health concerns mosquito control will have to adjust which brings this paper to the case study in Key West, Florida. The …

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Coloring In Nature’S Lines: An Exploration Of Color Mechanisms And Color-Related Applications Of Photonic Crystals, Stephanie A. Tonnesen Jan 2015

Coloring In Nature’S Lines: An Exploration Of Color Mechanisms And Color-Related Applications Of Photonic Crystals, Stephanie A. Tonnesen

Theses & ETDs

Photonic crystals are periodic structures with the ability to direct the flow of light. In the realm of photonics, materials science has progressed exponentially over the past few decades, and shows no signs of slowing. This progress is due to increased interest in biomimicry, and the development of improved nano-machinery capable of fabricating biomimetic structures. This thesis first presents an overview of color mechanisms in nature and continues to an introduction of photonic crystals. Examples of natural photonic crystals are provided alongside the artificial products which they inspired. The steady rise of photonic crystal development in color science has profound …

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Uprooting The Engrained, Paige Rawitz Jan 2015

Uprooting The Engrained, Paige Rawitz

Theses & ETDs

There is an undeniable fabrication of reality that is present in the artistic representation of plants throughout time. I explore the mediation of reality present in that fabrication through the guise of Ambrosius Bosschaert’s still life paintings, Ernst Haeckel’s botanical illustrations, and Roxy Paine’s sculptures. I further that exploration by creating artificial plant-like organisms. The sculptures of “Uprooting The Engrained” derive from the imagery of existing plants and yet are removed by many factors including but not limited to material composition, structure, and implied behavior. Creating fantastical, artificial organisms propounds the viewer to question the validity of their preconceived meanings …

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“A Joke Is A Very Serious Thing”: A Philosophical Examination Of Humor, Yanet Estrella Jan 2015

“A Joke Is A Very Serious Thing”: A Philosophical Examination Of Humor, Yanet Estrella

Theses & ETDs

When I first started thinking about this thesis, ‘A Joke is a Very Serious Thing’, I knew that I wanted to explore what a joke was and how it affected the situation once it was uttered. I was particularly interested in the ways that humor could connect and distance us from one another. A successful joke could engender positive feelings and comradely but a failed joke, or a derisive joke, could ostracize a group or individual, make a situation tense or negatively impact a relationship. I was interested in the ways that humor is inclusive and the ways that it …

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Until It’S Yours: Childbirth Knowledges And Embodying Cultural [Re]Production, Jessica Wopinski Jan 2015

Until It’S Yours: Childbirth Knowledges And Embodying Cultural [Re]Production, Jessica Wopinski

Theses & ETDs

During a time of vehement debate surrounding Choice and the childbearing body, women in the United States have unprecedented health care options regarding pregnancy and birth. As critiques against the medicalization of standard hospital care are growing in visibility, increasing numbers of women are leaving the hospital for maternal care. This situation has created a divide between natural and medical birthing ideologies, which is exemplified in the Sarasota birthing community. In this thesis, I explore the manners in which women are socialized into these “camps” through childbirth education courses at the local hospital and birthing home, and discuss the political …

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Rna Helicase A May Function To Upregulate Genes In The Alg-3/Alg-4 26g Rna Interference Pathway, Grace Bacon Jan 2015

Rna Helicase A May Function To Upregulate Genes In The Alg-3/Alg-4 26g Rna Interference Pathway, Grace Bacon

Theses & ETDs

Argonaute proteins have been well established as key players in RNA interference. In recent years, argonautes have been shown to play a role in the upregulation of particular gene targets. In C. elegans, spermatogenesis is a thermosensitive process. The argonaute proteins ALG-3 and ALG-4 have been shown to upregulate certain spermatogenesis genes at elevated temperatures, allowing for the production of functional sperm at these temperatures (Conine et al. 2010). Deletion mutants in RNA Helicase A (rha-1) have similar phenotypes as alg-3/4 mutants, including the production of sterile worms at elevated temperatures. This project sought to understand whether a connection may …

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Further Research Towards The Reactivity Of Oxalate In A Synthetic Model Of Oxalate Degrading Metalloenzymes, Albert Lee Jan 2015

Further Research Towards The Reactivity Of Oxalate In A Synthetic Model Of Oxalate Degrading Metalloenzymes, Albert Lee

Theses & ETDs

Oxalate is a toxic compound found primarily in plants. Humans lack oxalate-degrading enzymes, and the accumulation of large quantities of this compound may lead to oxalate poisoning, which in turn may cause cardiological diseases and kidney stones. Oxalate oxidase and oxalate decarboxylase are two manganese-containing enzymes found in many plants that are able to metabolize oxalate. The synthesis and characterization of small molecule functional models that very closely mimic the active sites of these oxalate-degrading enzymes may help overcome problems associated with the study of more complex enzymatic systems, particularly the elucidation of their mechanisms. Furthermore, there are potential medical …

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Visually Mediated Behaviors Of The Common Mantis Shrimp, Pseudosquilla Ciliata (Fabricius, 1787) (Crustacea; Stomatopoda; Pseudosquillidae), Robert Manley Jan 2015

Visually Mediated Behaviors Of The Common Mantis Shrimp, Pseudosquilla Ciliata (Fabricius, 1787) (Crustacea; Stomatopoda; Pseudosquillidae), Robert Manley

Theses & ETDs

The eyes of the stomatopods incorporate the largest variety of visual color spectra in the animal kingdom to date. Previous studies have indicated that stomatopods have up to 16 different photoreceptors, 12 of which are for separate spectrum detection. The behaviors of Pseudosquilla ciliata are well studied and documented (Caldwell, 1975). In the current study, observational data are used in the determination of whether the visual system in P. ciliata is crucial in the completion of various crucial behaviors. Behaviors tested include territorial aggression, prey detection, courtship, predator avoidance, and shelter creation. Using base behaviors displayed, the subjects were then …

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The Effect Of Sleep Deprivation On Memory, Brianna M. Brockell Jan 2015

The Effect Of Sleep Deprivation On Memory, Brianna M. Brockell

Theses & ETDs

Sleep has always been known to be important to activities of daily function. It is also vital to maintain health and preserve cognition. Sleep serves to conserve energy, remove waste from the brain, aid in restoration processes, and benefit memory and cognition. Therefore, sleep deprivation is harmful to an individual, as well as society, since a sleep-deprived person would not function at an optimal level and pose a danger to others while driving, working, or performing other activities. Sleep benefits all aspects of memory, especially long-term memory. Slow-wave sleep has been shown to benefit implicit memory, and REM sleep affects …

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Are Meditation, Mindfulness, And Flotation Rest Related? Exploring The Efficacy Of Flotation Rest In Improving Wellbeing, Julia True Jan 2015

Are Meditation, Mindfulness, And Flotation Rest Related? Exploring The Efficacy Of Flotation Rest In Improving Wellbeing, Julia True

Theses & ETDs

Stress is an inevitable and ubiquitous aspect of life. Chronic stress is associated with psychological and physiological complaints and afflictions. This study examined the attributes and efficacy of two stress-reduction modalities, Meditation and Flotation Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique (REST), by targeting four specific goals. The first was to investigate whether a single session of REST was effective in improving aspects of self-reported psychological and subjective well-being, specifically, Flourishing, Positive and Negative Affect, Affect Balance, and Life Satisfaction. A second goal was to investigate whether prior experience with meditation predicted the effectiveness of REST. Thirdly, it investigated whether mindfulness and the …

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Creation Of A Semi-Automated Pipeline For Differential Gene Expression And Application To Mouse Lung Adenocarcinoma, Lando Ringel Jan 2015

Creation Of A Semi-Automated Pipeline For Differential Gene Expression And Application To Mouse Lung Adenocarcinoma, Lando Ringel

Theses & ETDs

Due to the molecular heterogeneity of adenocarcinomas, conventional chemotherapy has been shown to have minimal efficacy against basal tumorigenic cells. With recent advances in epigenetic therapy, we aim to build an in vivo model, involving immunocompromised mice exposed to tobacco related carcinogens and lung adenocarcinomas engrafted orthotopically into nude rats. This model helps define tumor responsiveness and resistance to epigenetic and/or chemotherapeutic treatments. Once having distinguished the gene expression profile for adenocarcinomas in mice, we used this data to compare drug treatment combinations and their effect on cancer related gene expression. Our analysis exhibited significant evidence that epigenetic therapy allows …

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Patterns Of Dysfunction In Major Depressive Disorder, Demi Brown Jan 2015

Patterns Of Dysfunction In Major Depressive Disorder, Demi Brown

Theses & ETDs

Major depressive disorder is often characterized by disrupted cognitive control, a psychological symptom which can be traced to metabolic dysfunction in specific brain regions. Such biological disturbances come in the form of increased and decreased metabolism in regions which exhibit anticorrelated activity. These alterations are often seen in conjunction with regional volumetric reductions, which may be a result of neuronal and glial degradation. This thesis provides a review of the current research in each of these areas, offering a glimpse at the patterns of metabolic and volumetric dysfunction seen in major depressive disorder, as well as an array of probable …

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Sensory Modality In Horticultural Therapy: A Study On Resting Heart Rate And Blood Pressure In Six Therapeutic Gardens, Michael J. Flowers Jan 2015

Sensory Modality In Horticultural Therapy: A Study On Resting Heart Rate And Blood Pressure In Six Therapeutic Gardens, Michael J. Flowers

Theses & ETDs

This in-depth physiological study (N = 30) of the people-plant interaction aims to answer some questions and ask many more about the role that various stimuli play in horticultural therapy. Two butterfly gardens, two herb gardens and two water gardens were used in this study to investigate the proposed role of different sensory modalities. The butterfly gardens emphasize visual stimuli, while the herb gardens emphasize olfactory and mechanoreceptive stimuli and the water gardens emphasize auditory stimuli. A wooded area was used as a negative control, although it was found to have similar effects to the experimental gardens in some cases. …

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The Ground Shakes Even In Paradise: Identity, Resistance, And Image In Waiahole-Waikane Valley, Hawaii, James Carillo Jan 2015

The Ground Shakes Even In Paradise: Identity, Resistance, And Image In Waiahole-Waikane Valley, Hawaii, James Carillo

Theses & ETDs

From December 2013 through January 2014 I conducted ethnographic fieldwork in the Waiahole-Waikane Valley of Oahu in the State of Hawaii. This ethnography traces anthropological ethics in fieldwork, the problems of historical narrative, compartmentalized views of space and place, and daily aspects of resistance(s) within a local context. I explore the openings of a heterogeneous theory and approach to my writing and fieldwork – as well as the film portion of this thesis. The film compiles three separate events that I attended: A family Christmas Party, The Honolulu City Lights, and A first Baby Luau. These two portions combine to …

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The Theory Of Sex Specific Differences In Habitat Use And Migratory Behavior Shown In Great White Sharks In South Africa, Melissa Cristina Marquez Jan 2015

The Theory Of Sex Specific Differences In Habitat Use And Migratory Behavior Shown In Great White Sharks In South Africa, Melissa Cristina Marquez

Theses & ETDs

The large-scale spatial dynamics and population structure of marine top predators are poorly known. Electronic tag and photographic identification data collected over a period of two years are presented showing a complex suite of behavioral patterns in 34 white sharks (21 female, 13 male), ranging in size from 2.5–5.1 m TL. To investigate the effects of season, sex, size, maturity of the shark and resources versus habitat use, distribution of sharks with respect to ocean current maps (cold vs. warm) and fish population maps were plotted. Data include coastal return migrations and offshore migrations, indicative that use of certain parts …

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Getting [Steam]Y: A Multidisciplinary Exploration Of The Tempo Of New College Stem Meets Art Meets Life, Grayton Cloos Jan 2015

Getting [Steam]Y: A Multidisciplinary Exploration Of The Tempo Of New College Stem Meets Art Meets Life, Grayton Cloos

Theses & ETDs

This paper essentially attempts to take my thesis presentation and place it square in the middle of the ongoing STEM-STEAM debate as a practical example of how the arts and the sciences are far more synergistic than many people believe them to be. There is no need to generate a toxic dichotomy between these two once intrinsically linked disciplines; I argue that intersections between science, technology and the arts produce results greater than the sum of their influences. Through discussion of the rhizomatic interplay between statistics, sculpture, engineering, music, computer science, poetry, technology and performance art in both my work …

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The Female Spectacle: Objectification Of The Female Form In Lev Tolstoy’S Anna Karenina, Amanda Graff Jan 2015

The Female Spectacle: Objectification Of The Female Form In Lev Tolstoy’S Anna Karenina, Amanda Graff

Theses & ETDs

This thesis explores the role of sexualization and objectification in Lev Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. By examining the characterization of Anna, Dolly, and Kitty, particularly in their roles as mothers and wives, I argue that the male gaze has disastrous consequences for the female characters. The first chapter looks closely at the social implications of Anna’s affair and the motivation behind her suicide. In the second chapter, I assess the destructive nature of desexualization and the objectification of motherhood through Dolly. The final chapter examines Kitty’s education and the limitations in female choices within society. This thesis evaluates Tolstoy’s role within …

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Pathophysiology Of The Cortical Basal Ganglia Pathway In Mouse Models Of Restricted, Repetitive Behavior And Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lisa Curry Jan 2015

Pathophysiology Of The Cortical Basal Ganglia Pathway In Mouse Models Of Restricted, Repetitive Behavior And Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lisa Curry

Theses & ETDs

Restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are characterized as inflexible, persistent, and apparently functionless. In autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a distinct pattern of RRB occurrence, persistence, and severity characterizes the disorder. Animal models of RRB exhibit an imbalance between the direct and indirect pathways of the cortical basal ganglia circuitry; this imbalance is caused by decreased activation of the indirect pathway that allows direct pathway activation to over-excite the cortex. The current study used C58/J mice to track the pathways from the globus pallidus (GP) and substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) to the striatum using fluorescent retrograde tracers. The red fluorescing DiI …

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Top Girls And The Bottom Line: Defining And Disrupting Binary Oppositions In Caryl Churchill's Top Girls, Morgan Mann Jan 2015

Top Girls And The Bottom Line: Defining And Disrupting Binary Oppositions In Caryl Churchill's Top Girls, Morgan Mann

Theses & ETDs

This thesis analyzes and interprets Caryl Churchill's momentous play, Top Girls. It follows the story of Marlene, a 1980s business woman, and her biological daughter Angie, who has been given to the care of Marlene's sister so she could pursue a career. For three decades, the critical literature surrounding the play has been dominated by binary oppositions. Most notable are the binaries between family & career and socialism & capitalism. These binaries serve as method by which Marlene constructs herself; she lies on the career and capitalism side of the binary and that's that. However, to see Marlene as she …

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Conversations On Race, Mental Health, And Community In Newtown, Sarasota, Leah Windsor Duncan Jan 2015

Conversations On Race, Mental Health, And Community In Newtown, Sarasota, Leah Windsor Duncan

Theses & ETDs

This thesis consists of an ethnographic account of groups working to address mental health care needs in Newtown, Sarasota, a community with a historically large Black population compared to the rest of the city of Sarasota. This project addresses the histories of race, racism, and power in the United States, with a focus on the ways these structures affect mental health and mental health care for Black Americans in particular. Presented here are the findings of participant observatory and survey research that was conducted with the United Sarasota committee, a group of community organizers who live or work in the …

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Chaos, Multifractal Dynamics, And Market Efficiency In An Agent-Based Economy, Nathan Gilmore Jan 2015

Chaos, Multifractal Dynamics, And Market Efficiency In An Agent-Based Economy, Nathan Gilmore

Theses & ETDs

Through coalescing nonlinear dynamics, chaos theory, game theory, network theory, complex adaptive systems, quantum mechanics, and financial economics, one is able to capture salient emergent properties found in financial markets. This thesis develops this potential, drawing on and extending powerful results from a variety of fields for applications in signal and statistical analysis. Their power is illustrated by a sustained application of nonlinear and quantum processes within the context of financial econometrics. We construct a discrete-time agent-based model for a population of competing companies whose evolutionary performance is evaluated by a secondary market made up of value investors and arbitrageurs. …

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The Comorbidity Of Pain And Depression, Eagan Donlon Jan 2015

The Comorbidity Of Pain And Depression, Eagan Donlon

Theses & ETDs

Depression and pain often coexist. This thesis is an investigation into the possible common neurobiological mechanisms between the two conditions that would explain this comorbidity. Both pain and depression may involve monoamines, the HPA axis, and other neurotransmitter and neuromodulator systems such as substance P, endogenous opioids, and GABA. One of the main theories described in this thesis involves the immune system and inflammation. Inflammation initiates the activation of several pathways that starts the transition from both sickness to depression and from acute to chronic pain. This area of study has implications in clinical practice and could be used to …

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Madness In Arthur Schnitzler’S Therese: Chronik Eines Frauenlebens, Janek Jakubisin Jan 2015

Madness In Arthur Schnitzler’S Therese: Chronik Eines Frauenlebens, Janek Jakubisin

Theses & ETDs

This thesis explores the presence and function of madness in Arthur Schnitzler’s Therese: Chronik eines Frauenlebens. Applying the theories regarding madness in Michel Foucault’s History of Madness, I argue that madness is a social construct and elucidate the ways in which it is constructed by the characters and society in the novel. In the first chapter, I investigate the madness of Fabiani, who is the protagonist’s (Therese’s) father and illustrate how Fabiani’s madness is constructed by the military in a fashion which parallels the historical constructions of madness identified by Foucault. The second chapter focuses on Therese and analyzes how …

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Examining Anxiety And Personality In Moral Judgment, Stephanie Altenbernd Jan 2015

Examining Anxiety And Personality In Moral Judgment, Stephanie Altenbernd

Theses & ETDs

The human ability to transform our preferences into abstract values, also known as moralization (Rozin, 1999), has influenced how people view and perceive the actions of others, and continuously shapes our culture. Numerous studies have found that manipulating emotion, particularly negative valences, has an effect on moral judgment and decision making (Valdesolo & Desteno, 2006). Feelings of stress or anxiety have also been shown to have an effect on decision-making in humans (Perkins et al., 2012; Starke & Brand, 2012). In addition, personality traits have been linked to both anxiety and moral judgment (Gao & Tang, 2013; Grant & Langan-Fox, …

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