Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Spies, Sanctions, And Single-Party States: How American Sanctions Influence Intelligence Operations, Anthony J. Anta

Honors Undergraduate Theses

States have a diverse and unique set of available mechanisms to deploy when seeking to interact in the international community. Economic sanctions have long been one such tool available for states looking to coerce or incentivize a change in the behavior of another state. Likewise, states have historically sought to influence and gain unknown knowledge on another state or actor. Covert intelligence operations have changed forms, mechanisms, and techniques, especially since the expansive advancements in technology in the 21^st century. This paper seeks to understand the influence that economic sanctions have on the ability for single-party states to conduct …

College Adjustment In Ftic Students During Covid-19, Roksan Aydelman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study looked at First Time in College (FTIC) students’ overall college adjustment and whether modality of instruction during students’ senior year of high school relates to subsequent college adjustment. Those high school seniors who completed the entire year virtually experienced greater social isolation and restrictions that may have further limited navigation of developmental tasks and experiences that prepare students for college. Due to the novelty of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first cohort where such a marked split in high school experiences could impact future college adjustment. College students (N=294) attending a large public university completed the College …

A Comparative Analysis Of The People's Republic Of China And Its Treatment Of Uyghur Muslims And Nazi Germany And Its Treatment Of The Jewish People, Jordan R. Ellis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Like many before, this thesis uses the tragedy of the Holocaust as a historical comparison to an event occurring today, mainly in the Xinjiang region of the People’s Republic of China. Many historians have argued that comparisons to the Holocaust should be academically or intellectually prohibited. Many have stated that such an effort could minimize the perceived severity of or unintentionally raise other events to the level of the Jewish genocide. However, such comparisons should be permitted and are necessary to help prevent a similar atrocity from ever occurring again. There is much to be learned from Nazi policy and …

Relationship Between Video Games And Recovery From Work: A Comparison Of Different Genres And Leisure Activities, Jessica A. Gass

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Work stress can have a negative impact for both individuals and organizations, warranting research on how to recover from it. This research analyzes how the relationship between video games and work recovery differs depending on the genre of the video game played. In addition, these relationships are compared against the relationships between the recovery experiences and other leisure activities. Participants were asked to provide information on how often they play video games and engage in other leisure activities. In addition, two different measures of the four components of work recovery (psychological detachment from work, relaxation, mastery experiences, and control) were …

Elaboration, Resolution, And Coping In The Covid-19 Narratives Of College Students: Relations To Identity Development, Maha Y. Halabi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous research has shown that talking about highly significant experiences in more elaborative ways and with greater meaning-making is related to better identity development in emerging adults (McLean & Pratt, 2006). Expressing personally significant experiences through narratives allows individuals to construct coherent autobiographical stories about the self, connecting their past, present, and future selves into a coherent whole, which ultimately contributes to healthy identity development (Pennebaker & Seagal, 1999). In this research, we examined the Covid-19 narratives of college students in relation to identity development. Data was collected from 218 emerging adult college students, ages 18 and above, both males …

Terror Management Theory During Covid-19: Individual Differences In Death Anxiety Defenses, Nicole L. Harkrider

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The present study seeks to determine the relationship between Terror Management Theory (TMT) and various measures of existential anxiety, future consciousness, and future-oriented thinking. By using TMT as a theoretical construct, a scale was devised to measure participants’ protective behaviors relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three other scales were utilized, including Lalot’s Future Consciousness Scale (FCS), Strathman’s Consideration of Future Consequences Scale (CFCS), and Weems’ Existential Anxiety Questionnaire (EAQ). The scales were combined into one composite survey along with demographic questions. 315 participants were then administered the collection of scales via an only survey platform. Results indicated strong significant correlations …

Tomboys: The Role Of Protective Identity In The Gender Binary, Jalen C. Grant

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examined the biases of individuals regarding what is perceived as feminine and what is masculine, as well as the freedoms and limitations of being labeled a tomboy. This research examined the associations among several factors: perceptions of masculine and feminine traits, perceptions of lesbian and gay identity, self-identification, and the confluence of tomboy and lesbian identity. Students in high enrollment psychology courses at a large southeastern metropolitan university (N = 385) participated in an anonymous online survey. A series of hypotheses were generated but results were highly inconsistent. Possible reasons for these inconsistencies are explored with an eye …

An Analysis Of The 2014 Medicaid Expansion On New York And California's Maternal Mortality Rate, Reshanna Jagroo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis seeks to investigate the 2014 Medicaid expansion’s effect on maternal mortality rates for New York and California. The CDC reported in 2019 that maternal mortality rates have been increasing. These findings are concerning for mothers and are a problem for developed nations like the United States with improved healthcare. Furthermore, women of color are disproportionately affected relative to white women. Previous research has indicated that healthcare expansions positively affect decreasing death rates among pregnant women.

In this study, I investigate how increased access to healthcare through the 2014 Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act affects maternal mortality …

Internal State Language And Coping In Narratives Of Covid-19: Relation To Psychological Well-Being, Divya Pradipkumar Patel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Covid-19 pandemic had global consequences for billions of individuals, including high rates of mortality and morbidity, lost income, and prolonged social isolation. In the short and long term, this crisis will have an impact on people's lives and mental health. The current correlational study looks at how internal state language, stress, and coping are used in college students' narratives concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown experiences in relation to psychological well-being. A sample of 216 undergraduate students completed surveys that recorded their narrative experiences of COVID-19, psychological well-being, depression severity, and measure of how stressful occurrences in one’s life …

Flashbulb Memories Among College Students During Covid-19, Sabah Qureshi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Flashbulb memories are formed through widely shared events that have affected the culture and community. The “flash” in flashbulb memories refers to the specific details that individuals have developed in their memories. The presented research focuses on the specific event of college students at the University of Central Florida (UCF) hearing about university closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research study sought to identify the variables that have affected the accuracy of flashbulb memories formation regarding the event of college students hearing about university closure because of the pandemic. The variables of the students’ relevance to the university, location, …

Covid-19: Views On Seriousness, Handling/Response, And Behaviors Of Undergraduate Students At The University Of Central Florida, Shemuwel H.I Russ

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Objective – Views surrounding COVID-19 are divided. The objective of this thesis is to investigate if views surrounding COVID-19 can be inferred based on college-level demographics. I explore the views of undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida.

Methods – A link to the questionnaire created through Qualtrics was sent out to university leaders asking them to distribute it accordingly among their respective undergraduate populations. Students (N=149) responded to questions about issues related to COVID-19, college-level demographics, and political attitudes. The data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential analysis.

Results – Students still viewed COVID-19 as a serious …

Exploring Genz’S Attitudes About Mental Illness: Are They More Accepting?, Katelyn E. Yarbrough

Honors Undergraduate Theses

It is assumed that stigmas surrounding mental illnesses have begun to lessen over time. Generation Z seems to be the most accepting of neurodivergent individuals and people with mental illnesses (Bethune, 2019). However, existing literature suggests that college students continue to have negative attitudes toward mental illnesses, which could lead to a refusal of mental health services, unsafe social environments, and self-medication (Phelan & Basow, 2007). To further investigate GenZ’s stigmas toward mental illness, this study assesses college students’ attitudes toward various mental health diagnoses including Depression, Anxiety, Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Eating Disorders. Specifically, …

The Cost, Politics And Controversy Of Human Space Flight In Nigeria Or How To Put The First African Astronaut Into Space, Desiree Winns

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The most pressing barriers between reality and the dream of the first African astronaut in space are a lack of resources, cooperation, and support. However, Nigeria presently suffers from the threat of famine, intercommunal violence, and population displacement as a result of terrorism and food insecurity. The reliance upon humanitarian aid from countries such as the United States and international NGOs creates a question of whether Nigeria should even be considering exploration of space. It can be said that any investment into space should instead be granted to displaced people, water and food security, and cracking down on terrorism. Why …

The Deaf Community And Their Preferences In A Clinical Psychological Setting, Alexandra Alonso

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The focus of this study was to examine the Deaf community and their preferences for both a psychologist and the language utilized in a clinical psychological setting. The study gave each participant a mock profile for a psychologist and then asked participants to answer questions on their perceptions of the psychologist provided. A total of 22 participants who identified as Deaf, deaf, hard-of-hearing, or as an individual with hearing loss were surveyed. Results indicated that participants randomly assigned to the Deaf psychologist had higher rates of satisfaction and trust over participants who were assigned to other psychologists. The study also …

The Global Impact Of Covid-19 And Tourism On Conservation Rangers' Guardianship Capabilities, Zachary Bockler

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted wildlife rangers with an emphasis on the influences of tourism rates. Two sets of data are used: one is a survey of rangers around the world and the other looks at global governmental tourism data. While coming from a routine activities perspective, the problem of decreased capable guardianship becomes apparent in the form of massively decreased tourism arrivals and troubling ranger perceptions. This data allows for the establishment of tourism trends and changes during COVID. The findings of this thesis link the downturn in tourism with impacts on formal and informal …

The Role Of Individual Differences And Personality Factors In Distracted And Aggressive Driving Behaviors, Alyssa M. Holcomb

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Government reports indicate that, on average, more than 3000 people die due to distracted driving each year, accounting for nearly 10% of all fatal car crashes. Other reports claim that two-thirds of fatal car accidents result from aggressive driving. Previous research has been inconclusive regarding how personality impacts distracted and aggressive driving behaviors. Therefore, the goal of this current study is to fill the gap in the literature concerning the role that personality plays in distracted and aggressive driving behaviors. We also explored the role that distracted and aggressive driving behaviors played in accident involvement. A sample of (N=327) participants …

Sexual And Intimate Partner Violence Among The Lgbtq+ College Population, Courteney Lewis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

College-aged students have the highest sexual assault and intimate partner violence victimization rates. Previous studies have linked victimization with poor mental health scores, especially in the LGBTQ+ college population. They also showed a higher rate of victimization for LGBTQ+ students. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between victimization and mental health in the LGBTQ+ college population. To conduct this study, I used data from the Spring 2021 and 2022, American College Health Association (ACHA) - National College Health Assessment (NCHA). The results of the study established statistical significance in the rates of sexual violence in LGBTQ+ …

Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Gambling Behavior And Revenues: A Multi-State Analysis, Xiaoling W. Sundberg

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individual gambling behavior by testing whether ticket sales and revenues in the multi-state parimutuel PowerBall and MegaMillions lotteries decreased or increased between the pre-COVID and COVID periods in Florida, Texas, and Colorado. Two competing hypotheses are investigated. First, gambling activity may have decreased during COVID either due to increased risk-aversion induced by the pandemic, negative changes in household income from the loss of employment, or a combination of the two. Second, gambling activity may have increased during COVID either due to increased willingness to take risks, substitution of income previously …

Ecological Storytelling In Traditional And Modern Resource Management Systems In Maine, Sarah Read

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to explore the role that social norms and values play in natural resource management systems and to see how communities may spread their social norms through ecological storytelling. The Maine lobster industry and Wabanaki communities in Maine are used as two examples for resource management systems. The Maine lobster fishery is known for being one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. Their history is examined for how their environmental values and social norms influenced their behavior and what led to the establishment of their strong conservation ethic. Wabanaki groups in Maine are …

The Impact Of Head And Neck Surgical Scars On Appearance And Acceptance Of Dermatography As A Cosmetic Intervention, Simcha Chaitoff

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Many surgical procedures in the head and neck regions produce visible scarring. The most common of these surgeries are tracheotomies and thyroidectomies. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in tracheotomy scars, particularly in those who survived severe infection with the disease and required long-term ventilation. Individuals with neck scars are at an increased risk of health consequences such as reduced quality of life, depression, and negative body image. Research on attitudes toward and reactions to individuals with such scarring is limited. The purpose of this study is to examine how people rate images of scarred individuals on personality …

The Mediating Effect Of Surface Acting On Mistreatment-Exhaustion And Mistreatment-Sabotage Relationships, Jiani Fan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Although ample research has been conducted to explore employee emotional labor and customer incivility at the workplace, there is limited literature examining the role of surface acting in the stressor-strain relationships associated with customer incivility. The current study focuses on the mediating effect of surface acting between customer mistreatment-emotional exhaustion and customer mistreatment-service sabotage relationships. Based on several theoretical models regarding mental and emotional resources, including the Conservation of Resources Theory and Ego Depletion Theory, it is hypothesized that a significant mediating effect of surface acting can be identified in the customer mistreatment-emotional exhaustion and customer mistreatment-service sabotage relationships. A …

Technology Screens And Effects On Attention: A Meta-Analysis, Carly A. Haxel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study looks at how technology screens have an effect on academic performance considering how technology is becoming relied upon more every day. A meta-analytic review that quantitively combines data was conducted to estimate effect sizes between technology screens and academic performance. The study held no restrictions on location or ethnicity. 12 studies were chosen, consisting of 31,844 total participants. Ethnicity, research design, and screen type were found to moderate the effect of screen time on academic performance. Theoretical implications and future research is also discussed in this study.

Fetishization Of Asian American Women: A Discourse Analysis On The Media Portrayal Of The Victims Of The 2021 Atlanta Spa Shootings, Caitlyn Pham

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Asian American women have an intersectional identity that creates unique experiences, including discrimination and violence with a history of fetishization. In 2021, eight people were shot and killed in three spas in Atlanta, Georgia. Seven of the eight victims were women, six of whom were of Asian descent. While the shooter stated his actions were the results of sex addiction, and not racially motivated, the shootings occurred during a rise in attacks against Asian Americans amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. The Atlanta Spa Shootings provide a unique case where we can apply an intersectional lens to determine how …

The Effects Of The Communication Techniques Of Concern Elicitation And Mutual Agenda Setting On The Satisfaction, Self-Efficacy, And Understanding Of A Patient After A Provider Encounter, Ajay Bharathan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The goal of this investigation is to explore the relationship of health provider communication techniques and their impact on patient understanding, satisfaction, and self-efficacy. This investigation looked at the two specific communication techniques of concern elicitation and mutual agenda setting which occur during the beginning of a medical visit. Encounters were recorded with patient knowledge and transcribed to be analyzed. Following a coding manual created from both previous research and original input, the transcripts were organized and read through to process data. Focusing on the two communication techniques—concern elicitation and mutual agenda setting—I looked at the beginning of the encounter …

Impact Of Upper Limb Amputation And Prostheses On Disability Stigma, Tal Minks

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study was conducted to examine the perception of others towards individuals with upper limb amputation and to determine how their ratings were affected by the presence of a prosthesis. The survey included 469 participants from a university in the southeastern United States. Participants read a brief background scenario and then rated pictured individuals with or without amputation, and with and without prostheses. Our assumption was that if one type of image was rated more negatively than others, this discrepancy would quantify stigma and stereotype. After viewing the images, participants rated several attributes associated with disability stereotypes and perceived functional …

Effects Of Mental Health Disorders On Time Perception, Mirella S. Galliano-Rechani

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Research suggests a relationship between time distortion and mental health disorders, and the present study sought to examine this proposition. Prior research suggests that negative emotions are associated with the slowing down of time. Because mental health disorder symptomology is associated with more negative emotions, it was predicted that negative emotions would mediate the relationship between mental health disorder symptomology and time distortion. A survey was administered to university students that contained measures of anxiety, depression, emotional experiences, and time perception. Mental health disorder symptomology was found to be related to negative emotions. However, negative emotions and mental health disorder …

Paleoethnobotanical Investigation Of Pre-Columbian Archaeological Site 8br158, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida., Jennifer I. Moreno Palacios

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Starch grain residue analysis was conducted on 18 artifacts collected in 2021 from the archaeological site 8BR158 on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This paleoethnobotanical analysis investigates plant use by the pre-historic inhabitants of the Central Coast of Florida where there is a lack of archaeobotanical research. The starches recovered from the archaeological artifacts were studied in order to identify plants used for culinary and/or medicinal purposes. Wild plants commonly found in Florida, such as acorn (Quercus), were identified in this study that were used for food resources. Domesticated plants such as maize and beans were also …

Positive Psychology - A Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Correctional Systems, Denitsa Kaneva

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper analyzes and compares the effectiveness of the correctional systems in the United States of America and Europe, with some emphasis on Scandinavia. To make the comparison, I looked at previous research on the correctional systems in the United States and Europe. I reviewed articles from PsycInfo EBSCO Host and Google Scholar. The main points of comparison used are recidivism rates and rehabilitation services offered by the prisons in different countries. The results of this comparison show that countries that offer better rehabilitation services in the prison system, like Scandinavian countries, have lower recidivism rates than the United States, …

The Effect Of Transgender Salience On Judgement Of Gender Perception, Gabriella Markovich

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Two studies were performed to examine the effect of salient awareness of transgender individuals on the choices of individuals on dating apps. This study posited that transgender individuals may represent a threat to the sexual and romantic identities of others, and that being reminded of transgender individuals’ existence on dating apps would cause participants to take longer to choose who to connect with, connect with fewer individuals, and make lower judgements of the individuals’ gender and attractiveness. Participant reaction time, choice in potential partners (swipe choices), gender perception, and ratings of attractiveness were compared across a control and threat condition. …

The Effect Of Technological Advancements On Interactions In The Agricultural Commodities Market, Savannah B. Armas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The objective of this research is to find, if and how, real and financial technological advancements influence interactions in the agricultural commodities market. Statistical testing was conducted to identify potential correlation and any positive linear relationships in the price data between agricultural commodities and their complementary agricultural chemical producers. Testing if higher trade volumes in this industry result from higher technology usage were initiated by identifying shared linear growth between general index volumes and agricultural commodities, alongside their chemical complement stock volumes. The scientific development of chemical engineering mirrors financial technologies influencing trader behavior as a significant contributor to agricultural …