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Bryant University

2016

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Articles 1 - 30 of 40

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Optimism As A Mediating Factor In The Relationship Between Anxiety And News Media Exposure In College Students, Danielle Hoyt Dec 2016

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 …

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The Persuasive Power Of Video Game Narratives: Addressing Empathy And Attitudes Toward People With Mental Illness, Kristy M. Najarian Dec 2016

The Persuasive Power Of Video Game Narratives: Addressing Empathy And Attitudes Toward People With Mental Illness, Kristy M. Najarian

Master of Arts in Communication

Many college students find themselves struggling with mental health problems (ACHA, 2015). Individuals with mental illness not only battle with the disease, but with the stigma society has developed toward them, leading to a diminished quality of life. Education and contact are two antistigma approaches utilized in this study (Corrigan & Watson, 2002). This thesis aims to understand players’ involvement in the video game narrative (i.e., narrative engagement and transportation) and its relationship with empathy and attitudes toward people with mental illness. As a way to alleviate stigma, college students (N = 97) were surveyed after playing the video game …

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It's Not Just The Thought That Counts: An Experimental Study On Hidden Cost Of Giving, Xiaofei Pan, Erte Xiao Jun 2016

It's Not Just The Thought That Counts: An Experimental Study On Hidden Cost Of Giving, Xiaofei Pan, Erte Xiao

Economics Faculty Journal Articles

Receiving a gift can create an impulse to reciprocate, even when doing so may be inefficient and potentially harmful to a third party. This paper provides a theoretical framework for a pure gift effect on reciprocity impulses and experimental evidence that such an effect exists: that is, a gift receiver will favor an actual gift giver over an intended gift giver, even if the intended gift giver incurred the same costs and signaled the same intention to give. This result contrasts with the predictions of existing theories on social preferences. We also show that the pure gift effect is present …

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Consumer Purchasing: When Does Corporate Social Responsibility Matter?, Abigail Blecker May 2016

Consumer Purchasing: When Does Corporate Social Responsibility Matter?, Abigail Blecker

Honors Projects in Marketing

Almost all companies engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, and often times consumers are unaware of this. As societal pressures on companies and organizations to be more responsible increases, so have the practices companies have undertaken. My research will examine the potential impact a company’s CSR information and practices have on a consumer’s purchasing intentions. It will answer the following two questions: Does CSR information have the ability to change a person’s purchase intentions in high and low involvement purchasing scenarios? Will a person’s individual level of social responsibility cause differences in purchase intentions among different purchasing scenarios? Exposure …

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Uncovering America’S Horror Story: A Content And Critical Analysis Of American Horror Story., Jessica Maio Apr 2016

Uncovering America’S Horror Story: A Content And Critical Analysis Of American Horror Story., Jessica Maio

Honors Projects in Communication

The popular television series American Horror Story has captivated millions of Americans with its shocking and twisted plotlines that never fail to surprise. Perhaps one of the reasons that the show has become so popular is that it uses the horror genre as a way to explore controversial topics. The purpose of this project is to examine the controversial topics that are presented in American Horror Society and compare them with the current views of mainstream society to determine whether the show primarily reflects the views of the larger society or challenges them. In other words, how does American Horror …

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V. 83, Issue 19, April 21, 2016 Apr 2016

V. 83, Issue 19, April 21, 2016

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

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V. 83, Issue 18, April 14, 2016 (Publication Says Issue 17) Apr 2016

V. 83, Issue 18, April 14, 2016 (Publication Says Issue 17)

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

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V. 83, Issue 17, April 7, 2016 Apr 2016

V. 83, Issue 17, April 7, 2016

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

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What Is The True Cost To Stay In The Hospital?, Samantha Alicandro Apr 2016

What Is The True Cost To Stay In The Hospital?, Samantha Alicandro

Honors Projects in Mathematics

Currently, the unfortunate reality that receiving diverse health procedures can be extremely expensive is widely acknowledged and woefully accepted. However, have you inquired or been curious about the specific factors that influence the cost per day expensed by a hospital? Through examination, investigation, and evaluation operating SAS Enterprise Guide, SAS Enterprise Miner and Tableau I have attempted to arrive at a conclusion for this very question. Utilizing a 1.5 million row data set provided by Rhode Island, for the years 2003-2013, I analyzed the assorted elements conceivably bearing impact on the cost per day at a hospital. Regressions, decision trees, …

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Green Advertising And Millennials, Stephanie Davidson Apr 2016

Green Advertising And Millennials, Stephanie Davidson

Honors Projects in Marketing

This study investigates the responsiveness of Millennials to green versus non-green framed automobile print ads. A 2x2 factorial design was used in which specific advertising frames were manipulated to measure ad attitudes, purchase intentions, and skepticism for a high involvement product (i.e., an automobile). Results showed that highly-environmentally-concerned participants have more positive ad attitudes and greater purchase intentions after viewing a green ad than after viewing a non-green ad. These differences were not evident however for participants who exhibited low-environmental-concern. The results also showed that participants who are more environmentally concerned are less skeptical about green ads than those who …

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How Health Claims On Product Packaging Influence Consumer Perceptions And Purchase Decisions, Taylor Vanasse Apr 2016

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 …

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Does Academic Performance Predict Workplace Productivity?, Jodie-Gaye Hunter Apr 2016

Does Academic Performance Predict Workplace Productivity?, Jodie-Gaye Hunter

Honors Projects in Economics

This research examines if college GPA affects productivity and compensation in the workplace. It uses data collected from a survey of approximately 23,000 Bryant University graduates in different stages of their career. About 10 percent of the alumni surveyed completed the survey. The econometric model used in this study allows estimating the effect of GPA on income after controlling for various demographic and socioeconomic variables, including education, major, occupation, gender, among others. The empirical work provides evidence that GPA has a positive and statistically significant impact on workplace productivity for females, but GPA seems to be a weaker predictor of …

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Greek Life: Perceptions On Campus And In The Workplace, Elena Freedman Apr 2016

Greek Life: Perceptions On Campus And In The Workplace, Elena Freedman

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this study was to determine perceptions of Greek students by four specific groups of people: undergraduate Greek students, undergraduate students who are not members of Greek organizations, Greek alumni, and hiring personnel. In addition, hiring professionals’ opinions and perceptions of Greek students were further explored to determine whether membership in a Greek organization is seen as an asset or a liability in the workforce. Attained or expected skills as a result of membership in a Greek organization were also elicited from Greek students, Greek alumni, and hiring personnel. Data analysis of stereotype responses showed that Greek students …

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Catching Card Counters, Sarah French Apr 2016

Catching Card Counters, Sarah French

Honors Projects in Mathematics

The casino industry has been researched through a variety of disciplines including psychological gambling habits, technological advances, business strategies, and mathematical simulations. In the vast number of studies that have been conducted, there are few scholarly articles that focus on the specific aspect of card counting. The majority of games in the casino are designed to favor the “house”. This study focuses on the game of blackjack, in which players using a card counting strategy can tip the odds in their favor. A computer simulation was used to model the betting strategy of a card counter who would bet methodically. …

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Defining The Millennial Superwoman: Strategies For Work-Life Integration, Jocelyn Davies Apr 2016

Defining The Millennial Superwoman: Strategies For Work-Life Integration, Jocelyn Davies

Honors Projects in History and Social Sciences

Defining the Millennial Superwoman: Strategies for Work-Life Integration uncovers the perceptions of millennial females and contrasts them with the perceptions of working women in other generations. This research determines how millennial females are different in their search for work-life integration – the act of mixing work and personal life – and explains what this difference means for companies in the upcoming years. Historically, there has been much literature focused on women fighting for equality to get into the workforce, as well as why highly educated and successful women began taking themselves out of the workforce. However, there is a gap …

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Is It Worth Your Time? Biggest Contributors To Starting Salary For Bryant University Students, Brittany Sarza Apr 2016

Is It Worth Your Time? Biggest Contributors To Starting Salary For Bryant University Students, Brittany Sarza

Honors Projects in Finance

Students often wonder what curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities contribute to initial starting salary. Previous studies on this topic have indicated that the factors GPA, major/field of study, gender, and having an internship all increase starting salary. Prior research showed a positive and significant relationship between GPA and starting salary (Jones and Jackson, 1990), fields that require mathematical abilities had higher starting salaries in comparison to those fields without quantitative abilities (Paglin and Rufolo, 1990), 95% of the gender gap in starting salaries with women earning less than men could be attributed to college majors selected (McDonald and Thorton, 2007), …

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Effects Of Self-Monitoring And Social Support On Exercise Adherence, Dominic Cauteruccio Apr 2016

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). …

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Type D Personality And Injury Relationship In Collegiate Track Athletes, Annmarie Tuxbury Apr 2016

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 …

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The Magic Behind Success: What Can Business Leaders Learn From Magicians Regarding Creativity And Communication?, John Logan Apr 2016

The Magic Behind Success: What Can Business Leaders Learn From Magicians Regarding Creativity And Communication?, John Logan

Honors Projects in Communication

The following research demonstrates the connection between the art of magic and the world of business. More specifically, it explores the overlap between the innovation and communication techniques magicians use when creating new ideas, developing a routine, performing, and a parallel comparison on what it takes to run a successful business. The capstone will first look at what the "magician" is including the types of tricks they perform. It will then analyze the entrepreneurial magicians and their creative process behind developing new routines. Finally, it will examine the verbal and non-verbal communication techniques magicians use to connect with their audience …

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Global Economic Expansion And The Prevalence Of Militarized Interstate Disputes, Lucas Hahn Apr 2016

Global Economic Expansion And The Prevalence Of Militarized Interstate Disputes, Lucas Hahn

Honors Projects in Economics

Over the past several decades the entire world has experienced both the positive and negative effects of globalization. The question that this report will address is whether or not global economic expansion has led to a decline in the prevalence of militarized interstate disputes (MIDs) and what factors influence the prevalence of MIDs. This report will take an in-depth look at Thomas Friedman’s “Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention”. It also includes a quantitative analysis in which regression techniques were used to see how different economic factors influence the prevalence of MIDs, while also introducing a previously unused independent variable …

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Time Of Year Affects Surgical Outcome Of Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease, Krystin Sinclair Apr 2016

Time Of Year Affects Surgical Outcome Of Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease, Krystin Sinclair

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

Approximately 35,000 children are born in the US each year with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). Surgical timing for many of these conditions is elective, and the distribution of surgical cases, therefore, varies with time of year. The hypothesis of this project is that time of the year for surgery is associated with mortality, length of hospital stay (LOS), and total hospital costs. A retrospective, cohort study was performed, using the Pediatric Health Information Systems (PHIS) Database to investigate these relationships.

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V. 83, Issue 16, March 31, 2016 Mar 2016

V. 83, Issue 16, March 31, 2016

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

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V. 83, Issue 15, March 10, 2016 Mar 2016

V. 83, Issue 15, March 10, 2016

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

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V. 83, Issue 14, March 3, 2016 Mar 2016

V. 83, Issue 14, March 3, 2016

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

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What Does It Mean To Teach Interpretively?, Jennifer Dodge, Richard Holtzman, Merlijn Van Hulst, Dvora Yanow Mar 2016

What Does It Mean To Teach Interpretively?, Jennifer Dodge, Richard Holtzman, Merlijn Van Hulst, Dvora Yanow

History and Social Sciences Faculty Journal Articles

The ‘interpretive turn’ has gained traction as a research approach in recent decades in the empirical social sciences. While the contributions of interpretive research and interpretive research methods are clear, we wonder: Does an interpretive perspective lend itself to – or even demand – a particular style of teaching? This question was at the heart of a roundtable discussion we organised at the 2014 Interpretive Policy Analysis (IPA) International Conference. This essay reports on the contours of the discussion, with a focus on our reflections upon what it might mean to teach ‘interpretively’. Prior to outlining these, we introduce the …

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V. 83, Issue 13, February 25, 2016 Feb 2016

V. 83, Issue 13, February 25, 2016

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

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V. 83, Issue 12, February 18, 2016 Feb 2016

V. 83, Issue 12, February 18, 2016

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

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V. 83, Issue 11, February 11, 2016 Feb 2016

V. 83, Issue 11, February 11, 2016

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

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A Panel Data Analysis On Globalization And Income Inequality, Dave Mclean-Shinaman Jan 2016

A Panel Data Analysis On Globalization And Income Inequality, Dave Mclean-Shinaman

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

The paper investigates the relationship between globalization and income inequality using a comprehensive set of variables. It uses a panel data analysis of 51 countries over the time period of 2000-2013. The independent variables included are globalization, economic growth, education, economic freedom, and urbanization. Overall, the results suggest that globalization, as well as economic freedom and urbanization, have a significant impact on income inequality within developing nations. However, they differ in their effect on income inequality. Globalization is shown to decrease income inequality while economic freedom and urbanization in turn widen the income distribution gap. Meanwhile, results also suggest that …

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Revisiting Government Size And Economic Growth: Does Institutional Quality Matter?, Julio Diaz Jan 2016

Revisiting Government Size And Economic Growth: Does Institutional Quality Matter?, Julio Diaz

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper revisits the relationship between government size and economic growth depending on the public sector quality. In this paper, an econometric panel study on a sample of 12 Latin American countries covering 1996-2013 period. It is important to note that the data has its limitation and may affect the quality of the study. The results show no significance in the relationship between government size and economic growth at any level institutional quality. These findings show a negative relationship between government size and economic growth. In addition, the results show a dependency between government size and corruption.

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