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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Differences In Mental Health Attitudes, Symptoms, And Help-Seeking Behaviors Between College Student-Athletes And Non-Athletes, Cristian Miralles Jan 2024

Differences In Mental Health Attitudes, Symptoms, And Help-Seeking Behaviors Between College Student-Athletes And Non-Athletes, Cristian Miralles

Honors College Theses

This study examined differences in mental health stigma, attitudes, and help-seeking behaviors between student-athletes and non-athletes. 8 student-athletes and 231 non-athletes from a rural college in southeastern USA took an online survey, and independent samples t-tests were conducted to examine group differences. There were no statistically significant differences in any measure between student-athletes and nonathletes. However, exploratory sex analyses found females had lower stigma and used services more frequently compared to males. Participants then explained any mental health resources they utilize, with most using ‘Personal Relationships’ when needed. ‘No need’, or participants who's mental health concerns were not significant enough …


Intercultural Competence And Personality In Study Abroad Students, Wilkes W. Jones Jan 2024

Intercultural Competence And Personality In Study Abroad Students, Wilkes W. Jones

Honors College Theses

This study aimed to replicate and extend on previous research demonstrating that international study-abroad experiences can alter a plethora of culturally related views and attitudes associated with intercultural competence. Moreover, studying abroad has been shown to make students more knowledgeable of, compassionate toward. and skilled when working with people from other cultures. Additionally, previous research has provided evidence that some Big Five personality traits can predict scores on intercultural competence measures, suggesting that some individuals may be more open to the potential benefits of studying abroad more than others. For this study, I hypothesized that from before to after studying …


Correlates Of Celebrity Worship And Materialism, Caitlin T. Davis Jan 2024

Correlates Of Celebrity Worship And Materialism, Caitlin T. Davis

Honors College Theses

The proposed study will further examine the relationship between celebrity admiration and narcissism. The proposed study will also examine the relationship of the variables to materialism. Finally, this study will examine how the extent to which one perceives themselves to be similar in some respect to their favorite celebrity correlates with the aforementioned variables. We expect that there will be positive relationships among the variables such that greater celebrity worship is associated with higher narcissism, materialism, and perceived similarity with one’s favorite celebrity.


The Biobehavioral Effects Of Embryonic Exposure To Neural Inflammation And Oxidative Stress In Zebrafish, Dalton J. Anderson Jan 2024

The Biobehavioral Effects Of Embryonic Exposure To Neural Inflammation And Oxidative Stress In Zebrafish, Dalton J. Anderson

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this research is to improve understanding of the neurodevelopmental effects of embryonic exposure to elevated inflammation and oxidative stress induced by the antipyretic drug acetaminophen (APAP). Our study was the first to examine the interactive effects of APAP and inflammation in zebrafish embryos and how the treatments affect brain development and larval behavior. Experimental groups of zebrafish larvae were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammation, APAP, or LPS + APAP and larval behavior was analyzed using Ethovision automated behavioral tracking software. We also measured changes in whole-brain Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta (GSK3B) and GSK3B phosphorylation, …


Diet And The Role It Plays In Cognition, Ryan S. Lavrisa Oct 2023

Diet And The Role It Plays In Cognition, Ryan S. Lavrisa

Honors College Theses

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations have calculated the effects of animal agriculture and factory farming to be responsible for generating 14.5-16.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions as well as using 70% of all agricultural land to sustain itself. Plant-based diets such as veganism and vegetarianism have been on the rise as many seek to find diets that mitigate the animal suffering and environmental impact for which animal agriculture is responsible. With the rise of these diets, it is important to understand the cognitive effects adhering to such diets can have on the body and mind, as …


Global Perceptions Of Space: The Interior Designer's Role, Ansley C. Elliott May 2023

Global Perceptions Of Space: The Interior Designer's Role, Ansley C. Elliott

Honors College Theses

Interior designers need to show and share awareness of cultural inclusivity in design solutions to create a positive experience for all end users. In order to do this, interior designers need to gain an understanding of how people from various geographical locations perceive space and, as a result, behave and connect in public environments. This study explored existing literature on human factors in design, such as proxemics, territoriality, anthropometrics, cultural dimensions in business practices, and inclusivity in design. The research methodology included a Qualtrics survey on cultural background and demographic data; three-dimensional renderings of a public restaurant and a workplace; …


Perceptions Of Tourism And Quality Of Life: A Case Study In Savannah, Georgia, Marissa J. Renee Apr 2023

Perceptions Of Tourism And Quality Of Life: A Case Study In Savannah, Georgia, Marissa J. Renee

Honors College Theses

The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that Travel and Tourism accounted for 10.3% of the world economy in 2019 and ¼ of all net new jobs over the past five years. Savannah, Georgia has experienced huge growth in the last decade due to tourism, with visitor spending on lodging alone increasing from $466 million in 2009 to $1 billion in 2019. The current study examined differences in perceived impact of tourism on quality of life using established predictors of tourism sentiments. An online community survey was conducted in Chatham County, Georgia (N = 94) using the Tourism Quality of …


The Relationship Between Perfectionism And Aggression In Collegiate Athletes, Mia Colucci Apr 2023

The Relationship Between Perfectionism And Aggression In Collegiate Athletes, Mia Colucci

Honors College Theses

The traits of perfectionism and aggression in modern society are pervasive. Negative effects of both perfectionistic and aggressive behavior are well-documented, including increased risk of mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders (Wade & Tiggeman, 2013; Wheeler et al., 2011; Chung et al., 2019; Koivula et al., 2002). Perfectionism and aggression are traits seen independently in collegiate athletes and are relevant traits when assessing an athletes psychological profile. While the two traits have been linked previously in the general population (Chester, 2015), little research exists to link the two in collegiate athletes. This study’s purpose is to discover …


How Peoples’ Perceptions Of Their Parents’ Parenting Style Correlate To Their Perceptions Of Their Own Parenting Style, Madelynn M. Roberson Apr 2023

How Peoples’ Perceptions Of Their Parents’ Parenting Style Correlate To Their Perceptions Of Their Own Parenting Style, Madelynn M. Roberson

Honors College Theses

This study sought to observe how parenting styles may be passed down through generations. Data were collected from the parents of children aged 5 years and younger who were recruited from social media in the Lowcountry area in Georgia. These parents completed a short survey, specifically, the Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ). Each parent completed the PAQ three times, one for their perception of each of their parents and one for their perception of their own parenting. We measured the results and categorized the parenting styles into Baumrind’s three parenting styles: Authoritarian, Authoritative, and Permissive. Once the results were measured we …


Survey On Current Interventions For Childhood Problem Behavior And Their Link To Future Criminal Behavior, Jada N. Stevens Apr 2023

Survey On Current Interventions For Childhood Problem Behavior And Their Link To Future Criminal Behavior, Jada N. Stevens

Honors College Theses

Criminal behavior is a prevalent concern for many communities. As such, researchers and clinicians often look for core causes of criminal behavior to address them early. Some theorize that childhood problem behavior is a common predictor of adult criminal behavior. As a result, emphasis is often placed on addressing childhood problem behavior early in order to prevent future criminal behavior. The current study explores the link between childhood problem behavior and adult criminal behavior. Specifically, we will look at how middle school teachers are addressing childhood problem behavior and how that relates to future predictions of criminal behavior. Data will …


Depression And Anxiety: Experiences, Symptoms, And Help Seeking Attitude Differences Between Males And Females, Jenna K. Groom Apr 2023

Depression And Anxiety: Experiences, Symptoms, And Help Seeking Attitude Differences Between Males And Females, Jenna K. Groom

Honors College Theses

The current study examined the differences in experiences of depression and anxiety, symptoms, and help-seeking behaviors between males and females. The importance of this research was to better understand the impact that sex has on how individuals are affected by and live with mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Participants took an online survey that asked them a series of questions about their experiences with mental illness, their perceptions of mental illness, and their ideas toward mental health assistance. T-test analyses and correlations were conducted in order to better understand how males and females differ when it comes to mental …


What's Good For The Goose Is Good For The Gander? Implicit Bias And Self-Concept Toward Honors Students, Molly A. Balducci Apr 2023

What's Good For The Goose Is Good For The Gander? Implicit Bias And Self-Concept Toward Honors Students, Molly A. Balducci

Honors College Theses

This study looked to evaluate the current research on peer relationships, perceived social competence, and honors status among college students, with the hope of bridging the gap in research on honors college students and friendship. Participants were college-aged students attending a local university who took an online Implicit Bias Test to see if they held any biases toward words relating to the honors label. Participants also rated their social competence as well as their relationship with their peers. Independent samples t-tests were used to examine the differences in honors and non-honors students' perception of honors programs, peer relationships, and social …


The Effect Of A Gratitude Intervention On Acute Pain Toleration, Cynthia Ware Apr 2023

The Effect Of A Gratitude Intervention On Acute Pain Toleration, Cynthia Ware

Honors College Theses

Gratitude interventions are emerging as a method to improve physical health outcomes; however, gratitude’s effect on pain perception and the autonomic response is understudied. Recent research suggests the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex is activated in gratitude interventions and is also involved in the perception of pain and the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. In this study, we investigated the effect of state gratitude induction on pain through the use of the cold pressor method. We found that although there were no significant differences in self-reported unpleasantness, participants in the gratitude condition reported a higher intensity of pain. Nevertheless, participants …


Machiavellianism And Conscientiousness Of Self And Of Others, Anna Z. Jones Jan 2023

Machiavellianism And Conscientiousness Of Self And Of Others, Anna Z. Jones

Honors College Theses

As a dark personality, Machiavellianism (MACH) includes callousness and deceit; however, individuals higher in MACH differ from other dark personalities in their strategic long-term orientation to manipulate others to achieve personal success, and their cynical world views towards others. To measure different aspects of personality, research has developed an assessment called the Big Five Inventory. One factor included in the five attributes is (high) conscientiousness: the tendency to be careful towards others, organized, and not impulsive. Such traits seem to support the strategic aspect of the MACH personality but do not support the lack of care that individuals higher in …


Emotion Recognition Skills In College Students: Do Gender, Skin Tone, And College Major Affect Emotion Recognition?, Kaylee M. Mccook Jan 2023

Emotion Recognition Skills In College Students: Do Gender, Skin Tone, And College Major Affect Emotion Recognition?, Kaylee M. Mccook

Honors College Theses

Humans constantly express emotions both consciously and unconsciously; these emotions are constantly being perceived by those around us. The ability to understand nonverbal expressions and body language is key for successful social interactions in private and professional life. This research assessed 174 students on their ability to perceive emotions from nonverbal cues in faces and postures. The first hypothesis stated there would be a difference in the ability to perceive nonverbal language based on the gender of the viewer was partially supported. I found that women made fewer mistakes than men when observing sets of facial stimuli. A non-significant difference …


The Impact Of Academic Development Structures On Self-Perception: Honors Vs Non-Honors University Students, Beatrice M. Bean Nov 2022

The Impact Of Academic Development Structures On Self-Perception: Honors Vs Non-Honors University Students, Beatrice M. Bean

Honors College Theses

The purpose of the current study was to determine if there were variations in the self-perceptions of honors and non-honors collegiate students in areas of academic and non-academic self-concept. This research was important as it provides emphasis on an understudied population as well as gathers a deeper understanding of intricacies related to self-concept by incorporating comprehensive investigative measures. A sample of 236 students (72.6% female, 65.7% White, ages 18-51) took an online survey consisting of questions related to self-concept. By utilizing a series of two-tailed, independent samples t-tests we examined the differences between student self-perceptions of self-concept. Results indicated that …


Hiring Decisions: Impacts Of Applicant Gender And Social Media Presence, Alicia Ostrowski Nov 2022

Hiring Decisions: Impacts Of Applicant Gender And Social Media Presence, Alicia Ostrowski

Honors College Theses

Studies show that hiring decisions can be influenced by an applicant’s social media profile (Broughton et al., 2013) as well as their gender (Garcia-Retamero & Lopez-Zafra, 2009). Women, compared to men, are more likely to face hiring discrimination (Garcia-Retamero & Lopez-Zafra, 2009) and many hiring managers tend to look at an applicant’s social media profiles for additional information during the hiring process (Broughton et al., 2013). There is a lack of substantial research on the combination of these two factors. This study examined the effects of gender and social media type on hiring decisions.


The Correlation Between The Covid-19 Pandemic And Nursing Students’ Academic And Professional Engagement And Performance., Jolie Mathilde Komlan Nov 2022

The Correlation Between The Covid-19 Pandemic And Nursing Students’ Academic And Professional Engagement And Performance., Jolie Mathilde Komlan

Honors College Theses

Even without the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, nursing schools are recognized as a stressful environment "that often exert a negative effect on the academic performances and psychological well-being of the students" (Gomathi et al., 2017). Exploring the changes this ongoing pandemic has on nursing students' views and perspectives, along with their perceived threats, failures, and successes brought on by this pandemic will provide good insight into further changes that need to be implemented to better prepare nursing students through their programs. To accomplish this, participants within the nursing program were surveyed via a 21-question survey on Qualtrics. A retrospective analysis …


Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Health Behaviors And Mental Health During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review, Kara C. Middleton May 2022

Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Health Behaviors And Mental Health During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review, Kara C. Middleton

Honors College Theses

The Coronavirus pandemic had many negative impacts on healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, specialist care providers closed their offices to reduce transmission. Maternal healthcare was severely impacted. Mothers were unable to receive the prenatal and perinatal care they needed. Other specialist care, such as mental healthcare was severely impacted as well. There was also a lack of prenatal care occurring due to offices being closed. There is an established link between anxiety, depression, emotional eating, and Gestational weight gain. Gestational Weight Gain is associated with a higher prevalence of behavioral health conditions that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.


Student Perceptions Of Gendered Racial Microagressions, Ayanna Brewton May 2022

Student Perceptions Of Gendered Racial Microagressions, Ayanna Brewton

Honors College Theses

The impact of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination is a widespread issue in society that has become more visible to people with privilege and has been more widely studied by social scientists and mental health professionals. More recently, the impact of gendered racial microaggressions has been investigated. Gendered racial microaggressions are defined as indirect and everyday slights and insults based on the intersection of racism and sexism (Gadson & Lewis, 2021). Research shows that gendered racial microaggressions toward multiple minority status individuals has a negative impact on their mental wellbeing (Mekawi & Todd, 2018). However, there is a gap in the …


Exploring The Relationship Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Creativity, Anna Shea Hall, Anna Shea Hall Apr 2022

Exploring The Relationship Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Creativity, Anna Shea Hall, Anna Shea Hall

Honors College Theses

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is an important topic to study because of its prevalence, impact, and a multitude of unknown interactions of the disorder with creativity. Creativity is a cognitive process defined by lessened cognitive control and lower inhibitions in the prefrontal cortex (Chrysikou, 2018), which are characteristics of ADHD (APA, 2017; Brunkhorst-Kanaan et al., 2021; Kirov & Brand, 2014; Laugesen et al., 2017; Moen et al., 2014; Staikova et al., 2013) This study explored how ADHD is connected with three sub-variables of creativity: divergent thinking, uniqueness of generated ideas, and flow of ideas. Connections were explored via a survey of …


The Influence Of Misinformation From The American Perspective, Tyler W. Nelson Apr 2022

The Influence Of Misinformation From The American Perspective, Tyler W. Nelson

Honors College Theses

Over the last decade, conspiracy theorists and larger groups have become much more prominent across the United States, despite conspiracies being present for decades. Previously, they have been dismissed by most, however over the last decade due to an explosive political climate and growing numbers, these groups have begun to act on their beliefs. Events such as the January 6th Insurrection on the United States Capitol building is an unfortunate example as to how far these groups are willing to go. This study’s purpose is to use a nationwide survey to help determine who exactly are these types of individuals …


Facial Recognition As It Relates To The Obstruction Of Holistic Processing By Partial Occlusion, Karen B. Raymond Apr 2022

Facial Recognition As It Relates To The Obstruction Of Holistic Processing By Partial Occlusion, Karen B. Raymond

Honors College Theses

Facial recognition is an important cognitive function in communication and is how we process, remember, and recall facial information. Research concerning processing styles and their effects on facial recognition accuracy is a prominent subject within the field of cognitive psychology. Holistic processing and featural processing have been experimentally manipulated in various ways with an aim to determine which of these processing styles would aid with accurate recognition. The current study is a replication of a previous study that examined the effects of masks on face information processing and recognition. This study assesses the effects of partial occlusion on face information …


Adults’ Perceptions Of Children: Expectations Of Children With Disabilities And History Of Sexual Abuse, Asha L. Harp Apr 2022

Adults’ Perceptions Of Children: Expectations Of Children With Disabilities And History Of Sexual Abuse, Asha L. Harp

Honors College Theses

Adult perceptions greatly affect children, especially those most in need of help (e.g., children with sexual abuse histories (CSA); children with disabilities). It is important to examine how these perceptions can shape children’s lives. This study investigated adults’ perceptions to further understand views of children with CSA and disabilities. Children with histories of disabilities, compared to CSA or “normal” backgrounds, were perceived as having more externalizing behaviors. Children labeled with CSA were perceived to have more internalizing symptoms (compared to both “disabled” and “normal” and less competence (compared to “normal”). Further results are discussed.


Further Investigating Suggestibility And False Memory, Angelina M. Blanchette Apr 2022

Further Investigating Suggestibility And False Memory, Angelina M. Blanchette

Honors College Theses

This study investigated suggestibility in the context of effects of misinformation on memory. In the current study, participants viewed a video followed by comprehension questions followed by two sets of true/false questions and then the same set of comprehension questions including information in the true/false questions that was inconsistent with the video and comprehension questions negatively affected memory compared to the control condition. These findings are discussed in terms of theories relating to how misinformation affects memory.


Covid-19 And Mental Wellbeing Of College Students, Taysia E. Porter Apr 2022

Covid-19 And Mental Wellbeing Of College Students, Taysia E. Porter

Honors College Theses

The purpose of the current study was to assess the relationship between the appearance of Covid-19 and retrospective judgments of mental wellbeing in college students. Specifically, students were asked to provide ratings of their mental wellbeing before and after the arrival of COVID-19. Participants also provide ratings of awareness of their mental wellbeing as well as how worried they were, how they adjusted to social distancing and changes in learning format. The results revealed that the arrival of COVID-19 was related to judgments of mental wellbeing such that wellbeing was rated lower after the arrival of COVID-19 than before. There …


The Effects Of A Behavior Analytic Social Skills Group On School-Aged Children's Social Skills In A Classroom Setting, Rebecca A. Anderson Dec 2021

The Effects Of A Behavior Analytic Social Skills Group On School-Aged Children's Social Skills In A Classroom Setting, Rebecca A. Anderson

Honors College Theses

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit skill deficits in several areas. One of those areas is social skills. Social skills are very important for development and learning. One common intervention to increase social skills in children with ASD is social skills groups. Social skills groups use the principles of the science of behavior to teach various social skills effectively and efficiently to children with ASD. A common setting where children’s social skill deficits increase is in classroom settings. The purpose of this study was to implement a social skills group intervention in a classroom setting to increase social skills …


Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy And Applied Behavior Analysis Forming An Interdisciplinary Bridge For Positive Patient Outcomes, Rachel Ann Vaughn Nov 2021

Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy And Applied Behavior Analysis Forming An Interdisciplinary Bridge For Positive Patient Outcomes, Rachel Ann Vaughn

Honors College Theses

Physical therapy, Occupational therapy, and Applied Behavior Analysis work within the pediatric population and are used to help children reach milestones throughout their development. This survey is meant to assess the amount of interdisciplinary collaboration that is occurring within these disciplines. The research team believes that this interdisciplinary collaboration could be beneficial to the pediatric population, but understands that this survey is a baseline and needs further research. Through a survey, there were 29 total participants, 22 PT/OT and 7 ABA therapists. The survey showed evidence of ABA techniques being used within PT and OT sessions for betterment of the …


The Effects Of Racial Discrimination On Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color (Bipoc) Students’ Mental Health, Alana M. Hall Ms. May 2021

The Effects Of Racial Discrimination On Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color (Bipoc) Students’ Mental Health, Alana M. Hall Ms.

Honors College Theses

Racial discrimination and its relationship with mental health outcomes in BIPOC students, specifically psychological distress, the focus of this study. This was deemed important because these students may have responded by using certain coping strategies that could be harmful to their mental health and overall health, in the long term. It is already known that racism has been a problem in the world, but has morphed over the years to that of subtle, and often more harmful, forms of racism (e.g. microaggressions). The goal of this study was to examine the discriminatory experiences of BIPOC students at a predominantly white …


Active Measures Of Spatial Cognition, Sarah H. Noonan May 2021

Active Measures Of Spatial Cognition, Sarah H. Noonan

Honors College Theses

Spatial cognition is how we navigate and perceive the space around us. Distance estimation is one of the elements of spatial cognition. A previous study was done to test if the presence of boundaries has an effect of distance estimation. In the present study, this same phenomenon was tested using an action-based task to examine how this affected distance estimation. Participants were asked to stand at the end of three runners and throw bean bags at a target on the other end of the runner. One runner had an open throwing path, another runner had a doorway in the throwing …