Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Studying The Effects Of High School Athletics Social Media, Justin Scott

Honors Theses

This research project focuses on high school athletics social media pages and their relevance to high school communication audiences and institutional communication goals.

I conducted two in-depth interviews with school officials from a large Michigan high school, a survey of the high school sports social media followers, and an analysis of data from that high school’s Facebook page.

I was able to determine that seeing social media content from high school athletics pages had a positive relationship with how the school’s quality of social media communication was perceived, intentions to attend athletic events, and an increased awareness of the school’s …

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 …

Newspaper Endorsements Of Candidates: Through The Looking Glass, Caitlin Burkes

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Social Media In Big Business: An Autoethnography, Anna Rudisill

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to understand the perceptions and experiences of those who professionally work with social media. While there is a plethora of research done on the impact and importance of social media in big businesses, there is a lack of information regarding those who create the content. This thesis is framed as an autoethnography, as I describe my personal experiences working with social media in a large corporation. To further my research, I also interviewed two colleagues about their experience. Through my research I found that social media employees go through a specific process when being …

Western Michigan University Bronco Marching Band: Proposed Fundraising Plan, Elizabeth Mena

Honors Theses

The Bronco Marching Band first began in 1915 as a men's only music ensemble, which played mainly seated concerts. After a brief hiatus due to a drop in membership because of the First World War, the band was listed as a student organization again in 1920. Since then it has consistently performed at community and University events. The band, now open to all students, has seen two world wars and multiple school name changes, soon approaches its 100th consecutive year. The band is known for its excellent and entertaining performances and unwavering support for the University and its athletic teams. …

The Consequences Of And Factors Affecting Perceptions And Use Of Technology, Patrick Gardner

Honors Theses

Technology and its impacts on society are the subject of constant debate. Technology has been influential in creating a global economy, which has given people more time for leisure activities. However, technology has also produced unintended by-products, including issues such as a dependence on foreign nations for commodities like food. Analyzing both the positive and negative consequences of technology can help people better understand both its regional and global impacts. In turn, this knowledge can help us make more beneficial choices regarding how we use technology moving forward. This thesis explores how technology positively and negatively affects society, and will …

Brilliant Blues And Smooth Circles: The Makings Of A Brand, Arielle Singer

Honors Theses

A company’s brand is its identity. This research examines the creation of an effective brand, focusing specifically on the colors, logo and typography shapes, and taglines utilized by a successful company. The research is applied in two case studies: a large, well-established corporation (General Electric) and a start up company by two Union College seniors (STC). Color, shape, and tagline theory are analyzed to explain the brand changes made over the last century for General Electric examining their two main logo shifts and multiple tagline alterations. In the case study of STC, I work to create the ideal brand for …

Net Neutrality: Policy And Stock Market Implications, Ian Bennett

Honors Theses

From 2011 to 2015 the Telecommunications Industry faced changing FCC regulations that impacted daily business operations and stock price changes due to Net Neutrality. These changing regulations stemmed from rapidly morphing technology. The three types of firms in this study are Internet Service Providers (ISP's) Content Providers (CP's) who provide video streaming services and those who do not (ISP's CP's streaming and CP's not streaming). During this era the FCC went through two different regulation regimes of the Preserving the Open Internet order and the Open Internet: Bright Line Rules with two key court hearings in between. These key events …

Breaking Down Breaking News: Television's Institutional Failures And Today's Ramifications, Emma Stein

Honors Theses

Media coverage of the 2016 campaign has been widely condemned for being horserace focused and light on issues. The media narrative, it can be argued, helped propel Donald Trump — a non-politician, celebrity candidate — to the White House. And scholars and citizens have been very critical of this role. Today, pundits, networks and CEO’s need to take time to look at what went wrong and decide how best to move forward. However, Trump’s attacks on the media, his allegations of mainstream media bias against his campaign, and his obsession with labeling legitimate news sources as fake news has the …

Make It On Her Own? The Portrayal Of Single Women On Television From The 1970s To The 2010s, Antonia Batha

Honors Theses

This longitudinal study examines the portrayal of single women on television series from the 1970s to the present demonstrating the changing perception of single women by American society through the history of television. The study first examines the demographic changes leading to the rise of "singleness" in three forms: never-married women divorced women and widowed women. The study then examines television as a cultural force which affects and reflects the way that Americans perceive themselves and others including single women. A qualitative and quantitative content analysis of six television series shows several trends which appeared throughout the series. In earlier …

Lacuna: Transcendence Of The Human Body Through The Space Between, Anica Bottom

Honors Theses

This essay examines the author’s choreography, Lacuna, and research integral to its representation. During the choreographic process, experimentation of how the human body moves in relation to different architectural space was observed. In collaboration with the cast of dancers, cohesion of personal experiences in particular locations was evaluated: specifically, investigation of how environments has the ability to trigger habits or patterns of movement from both past and present experiences. A closer look at how the body responds on a visceral level to the physical and emotional sense of place is described. Although the choreographic piece, Lacuna, came to …

The Magic Behind The Magic: Discovering Why The Walt Disney Company Is So Successful, Chloe Becker

Honors Theses

One might not realize the empire standing behind the brand name “Disney” and what has gone into the creation of such a multifaceted business model that is leading the industry. While Disney, officially called The Walt Disney Company, has hand-crafted every element of the magical experiences and creations they put forward, there is an underlying business model and leadership skill-set that has brought the company ahead of the rest. It is within the social sciences that we can focus on this model and how it affects the rest of the film and mass media companies who strive to mimic the …

A Study Of The Effects Of Inspirational Media, Kaelen Delaune

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Language Attitudes And The Learning Environment: The Effects Of Regional Dialect On Perceptions Of Teacher Credibility, Marissa C. Mcgillis

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate how differences in regional dialect affect students’ perceptions of teacher credibility. In a broader sense, the research aimed to improve teacher-student interactions by identifying communication barriers created through cultural differences. 109 students at the University of Southern Mississippi who identified as natives to the American South participated in the study. 52 of the participants listened to a lecture given by a Standard American English speaker, and the other 57 participants listened to the same lecture delivered in American Southern English. Both groups completed a survey with twelve seven-point semantic differential scales, measuring …

Somos España: Building A New Spanish Identity, Lakelyn Taylor

Honors Theses

Establishing an identity is inherent to all individuals and communities. Sometimes creating an identity must be taken a step further by reconstructing a pre-existing identity in exchange for a more favorable one. Spain is currently undergoing a process to reconstruct part of their identity from being a nation with a lazy culture to one that is more progressive. Some Spanish rhetoricians perceive the best way to change Spain’s identity is to eliminate the tradition of siesta time. This study examines the rhetoric that agents utilize in order to create an audience that will help to rhetorically construct Spain’s new identity. …

Reifying Digital Histories, Ed Ryan

Honors Theses

The use of sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat is rooted in nowness. Most users rarely think about the long-term aspects of their relationship with the networks to which they belong, instead focusing on an ever-refreshing interface filled with fresh content. But what happens to this content when it is removed from its familiar digital context? Do the archived interactions, updates, tweets, and other pieces of our digital histories take on new meaning when placed onto a physical substrate? Using the form of the book and my personal Twitter archive, I have addressed my own digital history, looking specifically …

Nobody Knew Health Care Could Be So Complicated: 50 Years Of Predictable Change In Public Policy Preferences, Lauren Grace Guillot

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Content Analysis Of Voter Fraud As Covered By The Digital Print Media During The 2016 Presidential Election, Avery Woodard

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Knowing Where The Votes Are: Using The 2015 Louisiana Gubernatorial Race To Locate Key Democratic Precincts, Jacques A. Petit

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Music, Campaigns, And The Law: Navigating The Legal Minefield Of Presidential Campaign Music, Margaret Manning

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Crisis Communication, Socio-Economic Inequalities, And Governmental Risk Management: Analysis Of The 2016 Baton Rouge Floods, Joan Crockett Lyons

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of Treatment Acceptability, Self-Efficacy, And Feasibility Of Interventions Delivered Through Different Modes Of Communication, Ashley Phillips

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

An Imc Approach To Creating A Music Personality, Abigail R. Bounds

Honors Theses

Technology and the popularity of social media has empowered consumers and provided direct access to artists, changing the traditional approach to music artist exposure and the inherent needs of the music fan. Once dependent upon record deals and a traditional mass communication model, today's artists establish their own brand and attract targeted audiences by promoting a personality coupled with musical talent. The purpose of this study is to apply the direct to consumer principles of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) to brand a music artist and build a loyal following among the millennial generation. A literature review was compiled to investigate …

Confederate Symbols And Media Coverage: A Look At Mississippi Newspapers Over Time, Madison Elizabeth Heil

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to examine how the media coverage of Confederate symbols in Mississippi has changed over time by focusing on the following events: the banning of flag sticks at the University of Mississippi athletic events in 1997, the removal of the Mississippi state flag from campus in 2015, the modification of the song Dixie at football games in 2009, and the banning of the song from athletic events in 2016. A sample of news articles featured on the front page of three different Mississippi-based newspapers were reviewed through content analysis by two trained coders for changes …

Hyperconnectivity, Transhumanism, And Chesterton’S “Want Of Wonder”, Joanna Horton

Honors Theses

Connecting a general want of wonder with the reality that there is neither the time nor the need to wonder about anything, when the answer to any query is constantly in our back pocket, waiting to be looked up on our smart phones. There is no space between the initial itch of a question and the satisfaction of learning its answer--that space between question and answer being a crucial element in wondering. Since the tools we use do shape us, it is important that we notice how we are being shaped.

Here’s what I think is at stake—in having such …

Finding Christ In Cinema: Examining Secular Film Theologically, Evan Wheatley

Honors Theses

For me as a teenager, secular films were merely a form of entertainment. A trip to the movies meant the chance to escape to a “galaxy far, far away,” to stand alongside Harry Potter in his latest confrontation with Lord Voldemort. I did not realize at the time the parallels between the Force in Star Wars, and the Christian God, or how Harry and Voldemort’s cinematic struggle can be seen as an allegory for the fight between good and evil.

At the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, I was introduced to how God can use secular film to challenge our …

Oprimido, Censurado, Controlado: Authoritarian Censorship Of The Media In Spain Under Franco's Dictatorship, Darby Hennessey

Honors Theses

Francisco Franco is one of the most formidable dictators of the 20th century, and his overwhelming control over the press and other media in Spain during his 36 years as an authoritarian dictator is among the most notable forms of press censorship in history. This thesis examines the various measures Franco's regime took to censor the press and other media platforms (print news, non-news print media and digital media) and explains that, through these measures, Franco's regime fits and even expands the Authoritarian Theory of Mass Communication. This theory has historic and philosophical backgrounds, but by applying the basic principles …

Investigating Potential Anti-Catholic Bias In Southern Media, John Cooper Lawton

Honors Theses

This thesis researches newspapers in effort to find anti-Catholic bias particularly in the South. It also studied if the bias had changed over time. The study looked at five categories: Nature of Headline, Presentation of Headline, Supportive Picture or Not, Body Text Content, and Tone of Story. The Tone of Story category refers to the types of sources, which sources are placed where in the article, the location of where harsh and supportive words were placed within the article, and the taste in the mouth the researcher was left with upon completing the article. This category proved to be the …

A Return To The Authentic: The Changing Book Industry & Millennial Detachment, Kathryn Bauer

Honors Theses

Similar to many other industries in the twenty-first century, the book industry is beginning to turn in the technological direction. The emergence of eBooks, among other factors, has started to change the face of the industry as we know it. However, these changes may be a result of something bigger: the lifestyle choices of the trailblazing millennial generation. Millennial lifestyles differ significantly from those of past generations, especially in terms of social and emotional detachment. How do these seemingly different, yet defining, aspects of today’s world relate? And is it possible to use ideas from thinkers of the past such …

A Child's World: How Electronics Influence Children's Language, Physical, And Social-Emotional Development, Santina Marinelli

Honors Theses

The present study examines how parents view the role that electronics play in their children’s language, physical, and social-emotional development. Children are growing up in a world where technology is incorporated into many aspects of daily life. It has become an element in how children are parented/raised and it is believed to have an impact on children's development. An instrument was developed to survey parents about their perceptions of the role of technology in their children’s lives. The survey was distributed to 120 participants. The participants comprised a convenience sample of parents from a New England childcare center with children …