Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impacts Of Exercising With External Versus Internal Motives On College Students' Mental Health, Jillian Ulicki

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

This study sets out to determine the impacts of exercising with different motives, specifically external appearance versus internal health, on college students' mental health. The study will also analyze the mental health effects of following fitness-related influencers and content on social media on college-aged students, in addition to the differences in mental health among male and female students in relation to exercise motivators and social media consumption. A survey will be utilized to collect data from undergraduate college-aged students. The goal of this study is to better understand whether certain motives for exercising are healthier for college students' mental health …

Is Tai Chi A Beneficial Treatment For Anxiety In The Elderly Community?, Carolyn Kenney

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

This study attempted to explore the relationship between tai chi practice and anxiety in the elderly population. The mental health disorder that I looked at was anxiety, as the elderly often experience anxiety related to contributing factors such as mental and physical decline. Anxiety among the elderly is a great concern as there is an increase in the world’s population of individuals aged 65 years or older. This will directly impact health care prices as more resources will have to be distributed to this age population. One solution to this problem is tai chi. Tai chi is a cost-effective way …

Looking In The Mirror: Does Representation In Marketing Impact The Consumer?, Alyssa Collins

Honors Projects in Marketing

This study explores the implications of fitness apparel marketing on consumer self-esteem, attitude towards brands and ads, and purchase intention. Furthermore, this study explores the relationship between a diverse, inclusive (body size and ethnicity) model and consumer attitudes. Female participants were recruited to share their feelings towards their own personal body satisfaction, how they perceive advertisements, how they feel about the brand based on the advertisement that they view, and their intentions to buy the product. The study found that while the original hypotheses were not statistically significant, that there was a positive correlation of customers being more likely to …

The Impact Of Career And Interpersonal Relationships On Subjective Well-Being, Melissa Lomuscio

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

My thesis explores the concepts of career and interpersonal relationships and their impact on subjective well-being. Career and interpersonal relationships are two of the most time-consuming and important aspects of human life. Given this, they have some of the largest influences on our well-being and levels of happiness. In order to understand how to use these two variables to positively impact our well-being, we must first understand their role in our well-being in general and how they affect it. For this thesis, I explore this relationship through a series of 32 interviews, where interviewees are asked about their career paths …

Internships: Does Length Of Time Impact Student Confidence In Key Skills?, Hayley Bobok

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this thesis is to determine if length of time spent on an internship has an impact on student’s confidence levels in information systems proficiency, interpersonal communication, and self-efficacy in the workplace. Applying for and selecting an internship can be a challenging process for college students and understanding from this study if the number of weeks or hours has an impact on learning is designed to make that process easier. This study was conducted through a thorough research analysis of the current literature related to internships and their impacts on a student’s education. A survey was then distributed …

Analysis Of Concussion Experiences And Awareness In College Athletics At Bryant And Beyond, Juliana Cappola

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this thesis is to examine concussion experiences, awareness and education through a literature review and study of Bryant students. The study assessed concussion awareness and experiences through a questionnaire sent out to club and division 1 athletes at Bryant through email and social media channels. The study yielded 98 responses, but after filtering out responses with insufficient information 62 usable responses remained. These responses consisted of 62% female and 34% male athletes on 13 different teams. Of the 62 participants, 34 (roughly half) reported being diagnosed with a concussion in their lifetime, and 18 athletes reported having …

Anything He Can Do, She Can Do Better: Children’S Attitudes About Gender And Occupations, Ryan Brown, Nanci Weinberger

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

Children’s career aspirations are affected by cultural stereotypes about gender. We investigated rudimentary implicit associations and explicit gender attitudes about occupations with a diverse sample of fifty-eight (29 girls, 29 boys) 10-year-old children. We tested implicit gender associations using an adapted auditory Stroop task and tested explicit gender attitudes using the Gender-Stereotyped Attitude Scale for Children (GASC). We also modified a version of the GASC to assess children’s attitudes about a female and a male firefighter-paramedic seen in a brief video. Children also judged the firefighter-paramedics’ job skills. Children did not display implicit associations between occupations and one’s gender based …

Child Life Specialists’ Evaluation Of Hospital Playroom Design: A Mixed Method Inquiry, Nanci Weinberger, Allison Butler, Beth Mcgee, Phyllis A. Schumacher, Ryan Linn Brown

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

This study uses the expertise of child life specialists to identify which elements support child life goals for hospitalized children. This study can be used to inform those interested in the optimal design of hospital playrooms. Ninety child life specialists were surveyed using a photograph methodology showing five actual child life playrooms from different hospitals. The participants were asked the following: rate each playroom on 14 dimensions; describe what was liked best about each playroom; and finally, rank order the playrooms based on their ability to support child life goals. Findings show that child life specialists were able to detect …

You′Re Brave, I′Ll Be Your Friend: Children's Evaluations Of Peers With Cancer, Jane Gradwohl Nash, Nanci Weinberger

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

The focus of this study was to explore children's evaluations of healthy peers and peers with cancer. A racially and ethnically diverse group of fourth‐ and fifth‐grade children (n = 109) viewed a story about a child engaged in a physically challenging rock climbing tower activity at camp. The way the child (healthy or with cancer) ascended and descended the climbing tower (independently or with assistance) was manipulated. Assessment from the participants included their evaluations of the climber (regarding peer acceptance and trait favorability) and their knowledge of cancer. Also, participants’ own behavioral difficulties were assessed by their parents. …

When Helping Hurts: Covid-19 Critical Incident Involvement And Resource Depletion In Health Care Workers, Miguel Caldas, Kathryn Ostermeier, Danielle Cooper

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

A focus on helping others is generally lauded, particularly in medicine, but in the context of a pandemic when health care professionals are facing increased risk, loss, and trauma, this focus can potentially be detrimental. In this study, we sought to (a) examine if health care workers intensely involved in the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are experiencing negative psychological and emotional outcomes, and (b) investigate if helping related factors (prosocial motivation and perceived prosocial impact) exacerbate and mitigate relationships to negative outcomes in a crisis situation. Using data collected from doctors and nurses before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, we …

Can I Be Me With You At Work? Examining Relational Authenticity And Discretionary Behaviors In The Workplace, Kathryn Ostermeier, Michele N. Medina-Craven, Kerri M. Camp, Sara E. Davis

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

Management scholars have long been interested in the topic of authenticity in the workplace, evidenced by the history of scholarship on authentic leadership and the many new authenticity constructs that have emerged. In this article, we take a narrower view of authenticity and focus on relational authenticity in the workplace, which we define as being genuine in workplace relationships. Adapting a validated relational authenticity scale to the organizational context, we explore the ways in which feeling authentic in workplace relationships has ramifications for discretionary behaviors. Specifically, we build on belongingness theory to posit that relational authenticity will result in an …

Circuits That Encode And Guide Alcohol-Associated Preference, Kristin M. Scaplen, Mustafa Talay, Kavin M. Nunez, Sarah Salamon, Amanda G. Waterman, Sydney Gang, Sophia L. Song, Gilad Barnea, Karla R. Kaun

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Bipolar Disorder In The Entertainment Media, Haleigh Resnick

Honors Projects in Communication

This is a literature review of empirical research. This literature review provides an overview of how mental health conditions, specifically bipolar disorder, are depicted in the media (television and movies) by examining relevant empirical research. The review also includes how stigmas are perpetuated in these media depictions.

This literature review included an extensive review of published literature in the past 50 years about mental health and bipolar disorder depictions in media (television and movies). Studies were included for their relevance on mental health conditions generally, and any specifics related to bipolar disorder. Studies were read for key statements about stigmas, …

Examining The Relationships Among Mindfulness, Disability, Social Support, And Stress In Emerging Adults, Kai-Lou Yue

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

College students, as part of the broader population of emerging adults, are thought to be particularly vulnerable to stress compared to other age groups as they transition through adolescence into adulthood. Various internal and external factors including mindfulness, disability, and social support play an important role in students’ stress levels. The relationships among these three predictor variables and stress were analyzed in a sample of 1,049 individuals between the ages of 18-29. Responses were obtained from the dataset “Emerging Adulthood Measured at Multiple Institutions 2: The Data” (Grahe et al., 2018). The data were cleaned in Python and analyzed in …

The Psychological Implications Of Lyme Disease, Joseph Trunzo

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Gender Discrepancy In The Weight Room, Colby Norris

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

This paper proposed that despite the benefits of weightlifting, especially for women, that an uneven gender divide still exists in the weight room. It was also proposed that the masculine culture of the gym deters women from lifting. It was found through an observational study that there were four times more men than women in the weights areas of gyms. It was also found that women are more uncomfortable than men when their physique is being examined and that lifting women identify more strongly with traditionally "masculine" personality terms than non-lifting women do. Women cite a lack of knowledge, a …

Trends In American Newspaper Coverage Of Autism, Allison Miller

Master of Arts in Communication

The public's understanding of disabilities is cultivated via several media resources, including news media. Disability scholars often cite negative representations of disabilities in mass media, yet analyses of newspaper journalists' coverage of autism remain scarce. The present study explores the frames, stereotypes, stigmatizing cues, and individuals cited in news coverage of autism through a content analysis of The New York Times and USA Today coverage of autism from 2013-2016. The findings revealed that episodic frames are consistently utilized to discuss autism. References to abnormal social tendencies and coupling autism with adverse circumstances were the most common stereotypes in newspaper coverage. …

Instagram Use And Its Effect On Well-Being And Self-Esteem, Briana Trifiro

Master of Arts in Communication

Over the last ten years, social media has become an integral facet of modern society. In particular, image-based social networking sites such as Instagram have become increasingly popular among adolescents and young adults. However, despite this proliferation of use, the literature remains divided regarding the potential impacts of social media, particularly in regards to image-based platforms. The present study sought to analyze the relationship between social media usage patterns and its subsequent effects on user self-esteem and well-being. However, the study’s results show that, despite the existing literature, intensity of Instagram use serves as a mediating variable in this relationship. …

Political Polarization And Intolerance Of Intolerance, Nina Luiggi

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

Scholarly research linking conservatism to intolerance is widespread (McAdams et al, 2008; Jost et al, 2003): however, relatively little attention is paid to the impact of intolerance on the liberal side. Nevertheless, mounting empirical research and popular journalism suggests that intolerance works both ways, but that liberals are not aware of their own intolerance. Building on survey methodology used by Crawford and Pilanski (2014), the present study uses a scale of ideological consistency, intolerance judgments across a range of issues, and perceived intolerance, to explore both the intolerance levels and perceived intolerance levels of liberals and conservatives, as well as …

Under The Influence, Leonardo Cavicchio

Honors Projects in Mathematics

The purpose of this Honors Capstone entitled Under the Influence is to assess the validity of claims concerning the possible influence of roommates on one another, concerning alcohol on college campuses. This will be done by examining data collected in a prior study conducted over a two-year period. This analysis will focus on how alcohol consumption changes in correlation with the personality factors of roommates over an extended period of time. This secondary analysis of de-identified data will focus on primary and secondary subquestions. The primary question that will be addressed with the data set collected from the University of …

Inch By Inch: Making Our Gardens Grow, Rita Beck Neal, Nanci Weinberger

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

Why bring gardens to early education programs? School garden success has a long history, but this success has been found primarily in elementary schools (Blair 2009). Yet child care centers are typically open year-round and therefore are better prepared to enjoy the full bounty that gardens may provide.

Gardening with young children isn’t new (McFarland 2005), but a small national “farm to child care movement” that supports garden programs is growing (Berkenkamp and Mader 2012).

Unfortunately, many teachers are not familiar with gardening and plant science (Blair 2009). The novelty of gardening may be one of the obstacles in bringing …

Challenging The Stereotype – Greek Life In The Media, Briana Trifiro

Honors Projects in Communication

Stereotypes are an undeniable aspect of today’s society. As demonstrated through a variety of mass communication theories, stereotypes are often formed as a result of exposure to mass media images. This concept is especially important today, as media messages permeate daily life in a variety of ways. From the news, to social media, to movies and television – media messaging is everywhere and impacts people on a daily basis. The purpose of this study is to produce a documentary video which demonstrates how negative media portrayals of Greek life lead to the formulation of stereotypes about college students affiliated with …

Five Seconds To The Ad: How Program-Induced Mood Affects Ad Countdown Effects, Tiffany Venmahavong

Honors Projects in Marketing

The study examines what effects a five second countdown warning will have on consumer’s attitudes towards the advertisement depending on the main program content. This study builds upon several theoretical models concerning program-induced moods in relation to viewer’s judgment to commercial advertisements. Findings from two studies suggest that program-induced mood systematically influences attitude toward the inserted ad with (vs. without) a five-second countdown: for the negative-affect program, attitude toward the ad was more positive when the ad was preceded by the countdown than when the ad was not preceded by the countdown. However, for the positive-affect program, attitude toward the …

Analysis Of How Companies Should Prepare To Recruit And Manage Generation Z, Corey Pires

Honors Projects in Management

No abstract provided.

Write What You Know: The Process Of Writing A Young Adult Novella, Grace Morgan

Honors Projects in English and Cultural Studies

One tragedy, two lives changed forever. This novella follows the paths of two characters coping with the death of loved ones. It examines the themes of grief, friendship, family, self-discovery and inner strength. Specifically, how these things manifest and change after experiencing extreme loss. The dual narrative compares and contrasts the varying ways people react to grief. This project on creative writing followed the writing process from brainstorming to final draft.

Optimism As A Mediating Factor In The Relationship Between Anxiety And News Media Exposure In College Students, Danielle Hoyt

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

Recently, media research has focused on young people to determine what effect violent media images may have on aggressive behavior, but little research has investigated the kind of psychological distress similar images may cause. What emotional impact does increased exposure to negative and even violent news coverage have on young adults? In this study, the relationship between such news media and anxiety levels is examined, as well as the possible mediating role that an optimistic life orientation may play in that relationship. It is hypothesized that the degree to which these individuals follow news media will positively correlate with their …

How Health Claims On Product Packaging Influence Consumer Perceptions And Purchase Decisions, Taylor Vanasse

Honors Projects in Marketing

The goal of this investigation was to expand upon research from the field of consumer behavior, with a specific focus on food product packaging and health claims. It specifically focused on how these health claims impact consumer perceptions and purchase decisions related to everyday food items. Students at Bryant University were asked to take part in a study which measured their overall health knowledge and nutritional interest. They were then presented with different variations of a product packaging label to assess its impact on their attitude towards a product. Findings indicated that both females and those who score highest on …

Effects Of Self-Monitoring And Social Support On Exercise Adherence, Dominic Cauteruccio

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this study was to look at the effects of self-monitoring and social support on minutes of exercise per week. Specifically, self-monitoring examined whether self-monitoring and self-monitoring in combination with social support would increase minutes of exercise over a four week period. The study was four weeks long, with participants randomly assigned into three groups: a control group (group 1), a self-monitoring group (group 2), and a self-monitoring plus social support group (group 3). Exercise time was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and social support was measured using the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (ISSB). …

Type D Personality And Injury Relationship In Collegiate Track Athletes, Annmarie Tuxbury

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this study was to examine Type D personality as an internal factor for injury risk in collegiate track athletes. A survey was administered to 275 track athletes across each of the three NCAA divisions. The survey included general questions about injury history, which included demographic type questions. A Type D Personality Inventory assessment was administered which measured negative affectivity and social inhibition (Blum, 2009). Additionally, the survey included a version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), measuring an athlete’s evaluation of situations that invokes a stress response (Cohen et al, 1983). Lastly, the survey included the Athletic …

Welcome Back! Helping Young Children Return To Your Program After Hospitalization, Nanci Weinberger

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

Every week I’m lucky enough to spend a couple of hours reading to hospitalized children. Sometimes I also get to be with other formerly hospitalized children as a camp volunteer. In spite of their incredibly varied experiences, one thing stands out: kids will be kids! This can mean many things, but to me as a volunteer—who just happens to be a developmental psychologist—it means that young children want to feel safe, want to explore their world, and want to have fun.