Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

More Than Money: Understanding Marital Influences On Retirement Savings Rates, Scott H. Payne

Theses and Dissertations

Using data from 584 individuals identifying themselves as married, the purpose of this study was to examine how personal and relational characteristics were linked to financial attitudes, knowledge, and capabilities and financial well-being using the family financial socialization framework (Gudmunson & Danes, 2011). Supporting the first two hypotheses, marital quality, materialism, age, and household income were found to directly predict financial prudence as a measure of financial attitudes, knowledge, and capabilities and to indirectly predict retirement savings rate as a measure of financial well-being. Financial prudence supported the first hypotheses as well by directly predicting retirement savings rate. Education also …

Thirty Thousand Regressions On Trade: A Sensitivity Analysis, Frank Mcintyre, Dr. Kerk Phillips

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As the world economy becomes more integrated, questions of trade and living standards become more relevant. Developing countries see the standard of living in the industrialized nations and wonder how they can achieve the same level of prosperity. One viewpoint is that a crucial part of development for the nations of the world is access to the large consumer markets of the United States and Europe. Developing countries want open borders that will allow them to sell competitively in the industrialized nations. Many people in these industrialized countries worry about what kind of effect such open access will have on …

Getting The Crowd Into Obituaries: How A Unique Partnership Combined The World’S Largest Obituary Index With Utah’S Largest Historic Newspaper Database, Jeremy Myntti, John Alexander, John Herbert, Alan Witkowski

Faculty Publications

Utah Digital Newspaper

What we do

• Create digital images of historic Utah newspapers
• Create searchable text of every page/article
• Make both images and text available on the Internet

Who we are

• Run by J. Willard Marriott Library, Univ. of Utah
• Entirely a “soft money” program
• National leader, especially within the public sector

The Effect Of Sleep-Dependent Consolidation On Pattern Separation And Pattern Completion In Delayed Retrieval, Jesse Ray James

Theses and Dissertations

While people sleep, the brain replays the same neural firings that resulted from waking activities that day. This results in greater memory strength following a sleeping delay than a waking delay. The current project built upon this fact in a series of three experiments. Experiment 1. Although previous research has demonstrated a benefit of sleep to memory strength, the literature has not established the impact of sleep on memory specificity. Computational models of medial temporal lobe function posit that discrimination and generalization across similar memories are accomplished through processes known as pattern separation and pattern completion, respectively. To discover whether …

Quantitative Genetics Of Response To Novelty And Other Stimuli By Infant Rhesus Macaques (Macaca Mulatta) Across Three Behavioral Assessments, G. L. Fawcett, A. M. Dettmer, D. Kay, M. Raveendran, James Dee Higley, N. D. Ryan, J. L. Cameron, J. Rogers

Faculty Publications

Primate behavior is influenced by both heritable factors and environmental experience during development. Previous studies of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) examined the effects of genetic variation on expressed behavior and related neurobiological traits (heritability and/or genetic association) using a variety of study designs. Most of these prior studies examined genetic effects on the behavior of adults or adolescent rhesus macaques, not in young macaques early in development. To assess environmental and additive genetic variation in behavioral reactivity and response to novelty among infants, we investigated a range of behavioral traits in a large number (N = 428) of pedigreed infants …

The Unemployment Effects Of Minimum Wage Legislation, Dave Hansen, Dr. Bret Mackay, Dr. Norm Thurston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The unambiguous prediction of the competitive labor market model is that a minimum wage serves as a price floor, decreasing the quantity of unskilled labor demanded by firms. In a landmark survey paper, Brown, Gilroy, and Kohen survey 30 years of minimum wage studies and recommend the widely cited generalization that a 10% increase in the minimum wage is estimated to result in a 1% to 3% reduction in total teenage employment.1

Was Welfare Ended As We Know It? A Study Of The Effectiveness Of The Personal Responsibility And Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, Kristen Edwards, Dr. Mark Showalter

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In 1996 the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) entitlement program, where all who met certain requirements received benefits, was changed to the Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) block grant. This grant is given to states to use at their own discretion as long as they observe certain mandates including job participation by recipients and time limits on welfare. While many have noted the recent decline in both welfare caseloads and poverty, no one is sure what is responsible for the improvements because TANF was implemented concurrently with a booming economy.

Independence: Perceptions Of Self-Identity In The Life Of A Native & American Woman, Tyler K. Lee, David Shuler

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Summer was rapidly approaching and I was busy making plans to visit Oaxaca, Mexico in search of answers. Several cases of labor abuse involving Mixtec Indians from that region working in Californian fields had emerged and I wanted to find out if Mixtec communal living patterns were being altered here in America as opposed to their traditional way of living in the villages of Oaxaca. I was set to leave in April when a friend of mine invited me to her Indian reservation in northeastern California for the weekend. I became so intrigued with the community of Independence, California that …

The Relationship Among Garbage, Culture, And Economics In Puerto Rico As Compared To Guatemala, Jennifer M. Lambert, Dr. John Hawkins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project was to return to Nahuala, Guatemala to continue my research analyzing the relationship between cultural attitudes and treatment of solid waste. I also planned to begin an investigation of the environmental impact of the solid waste there. However, my plans changed when the anthropology department canceled the summer trip to Guatemala. I decided to conduct a parallel two month study in Puerto Rico.

Ethnic Change In Slovakia Between 1773 And 1910, Michele N. Richardson, Dr. Samuel Otterstrom

Journal of Undergraduate Research

At the end of World War I, the Treaty of Trianon divided the former Austro-Hungarian Empire into multiple autonomous states including Czechoslovakia. Hungarians vociferously decried the southern border around the Slovak portion of this state, which became the independent Slovak Republic in 1993, claiming that it bisected an ethnically homogeneous Hungarian area between two political states. Conversely, proponents of the 1918 border argued that the dominant Hungarian presence in southern Slovakia was merely the result of Magyarization, a government policy aimed at suppressing minorities and forcefully assimilating them into Magyar (ethnic Hungarian) culture. Unfortunately, at this time nobody definitively knew …

Germans In Slovakia: Settlement Patterns, Daniel Reeves, Dr. Samuel Otterstrom

Journal of Undergraduate Research

From the Middle Ages to the present there has been—to varying degrees—a German minority among the Slovak people. Though nearly nonexistent today, this minority has historically been an important part of Slovakia’s population. German settlers were drawn to Slovakia for several reasons over the centuries, and in the year 1400, with a population of 400,000, their influence on Slovakia reached its peak. Today, the German population in Slovakia is limited to adventurous businessmen and students. These dramatic changes form a base for this research, which has been designed to study the settlement patterns of Germans within Slovakia (Jahn, 1971, p. …

Vehicle Burglaries In Provo’S South Campus Neighborhood: A Spatial And Environmental Assessment, Donald Ludlow, James Davis, Dr. J. Matthew Shumway

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recent technological advances in police record keeping and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software enable police departments and security specialists to better identify the spatial patterns of criminal activity. This research project utilizes both Provo Police Department database outputs and ArcView GIS software to examine the spatial nature of vehicle burglaries in Provo, Utah’s “South Campus” neighborhood. The area of the study is shown in figure 1 and includes an area of both high automobile burglary reports and a high proportion of students.

Tracking Therapeutic Progress In An Adolescent Substance-Abuse Treatment Center, Stephen R. Lassen, Dr. M. Gawain Wells

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of undertaking this project was to analyze the sensitivity to change in the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (Y-OQ). Also, to analyze the Self-Report Version of the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (Y-OQ SR) and determine relationships between parent and adolescent self-reports.

Uniting Men’S Work As Husbands And Fathers: How Men’S Marital Intimacy Influences Their Generative Development, Erin Kramer, Dr. Alan J. Hawkins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I conducted this qualitative analysis to better understand how men care for their wives, how this care influences men’s relationships with their wives, how this care may also influence men’s relationships with their children, and how this care influences men’s personal generative development. My research was written as an undergraduate honors thesis.

Modeling Dialogue Structures, Rebecca D. Rees, Dr. Deryle Lonsdale

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Within every human being lies the desire and the power to communicate—both to decide what to say and when to say it, and to unravel the meaning in someone else’s message. And dialogue is our fundamental tool of communication. Even a writer must take into account their intended audience and the most successful way to convey their “monologue”; my paper, for example, even if put away on some forgotten library shelf, will complete the communicative exchange (which I began when I started writing) the moment a reader picks it up, dusts it off, and opens the cover. The message will …

The Reception Of Western Legal Reform In Bulgaria A Qualitative Study, Paul Edwards, Dr. Vanya Illieva Kalaidjieva

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The research I did ultimately seeks to answer the question whether the door to the West is open for Bulgaria. Bulgaria is not a Western country, even though it is in Europe. In fact it has never been a Western country.

An Econometric Analysis Of The Effect Of Monetary Policy On Output, Michael Gould, Dr. David E. Spencer

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In December 1996, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan spoke of “irrational exuberance” fueling investment spending to unsustainable levels.¹ The pressure of the investment bubble and an extraordinarily tight labor market required the Fed to intervene to combat inflationary pressures which could have destabilized our economy.

Linguistics And Law: An Assessment Of Linguistic Contributions In The Courtroom, Jordan Toone, Dr. Cynthia Hallen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Linguistics has provided critical and clarifying evidence in the courtroom for decades. Not only have linguists and linguistic theory assisted the upholding of U.S. law but both have provided professional expertise in disputes throughout the world. The exciting correlation between linguistics and law has long been developing, while the assessment and evaluation of the relationship is in its infant stage and is yet to be fully established in professional research and publication.

The Language And The Law: Trademark Dilution Online, David Stankiewicz, Dr. William Eggington

Journal of Undergraduate Research

One of the most important areas of legal dispute today is internet trademark law. This has become an increasingly greater concern as more and more web pages grab for consumer attention. Many legal questions remain unanswered, and perhaps the most important of these is “Do we apply the old laws directly to cyberspace?” This question became a practical concern with “Kelley Blue Book v. Primdedia, Inc.”

“Borrowing” Constraints: A Panel Study, James Cardon, Dr. Barrett E. Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Although the theory of aggregate consumption was first addressed in 1936 by Keynes, the modern theory stems from work done in the mid 1950’s by Modigliani and Brumberg (1954) and Friedman (1957); their theory has been termed the Life Cycle/Permanent Income Hypothesis (LC/PIH). While Keynes proposed that, “the amount of aggregate consumption mainly depends on the amount of aggregate income,” 1 the modern theory proposes that consumption tracks “permanent,” or average lifetime, income rather than current income.

An Economic Analysis Of The Costs Of Air Pollution Abatement, Kevin J. Mumford, Dr. C Arden Pope Iii

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Air pollution policy continues to be a cause of serious debate. Much of the confusion surrounding air pollution policy comes from leaders of industry and environmental groups’ appeals to ultimatums of disaster. Some leaders of industry argue that the entire American economy is at risk if more stringent air quality standards are imposed while some leaders of environmental groups argue that environmental and health disasters are unavoidable at our present level of pollution. Such arguments are not helpful to understanding the optimal level of air pollution abatement¹. The correct way to approach a policy of pollution control is …

Cross-Cultural Communication In The Medical Setting, David M. Smith, Dr. Bill Eggington

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Communication between patients and physicians is perhaps the single most important issue in providing quality health care to a community. When segments of this community come from different cultural backgrounds and speak different languages, effective communication becomes more difficult. Over the last several years, Utah Valley has grown significantly more culturally and linguistically diverse. As a linguistics student with plans to attend medical school I wanted to research the current situation of cross-cultural care in the community and make suggestions for improvements in the future.

How Arabs Feel About American Culture, Chad Emmett, Dr. Jill Jenkins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The goal of this project is to improve interaction between Arabs and Americans by determining which aspects of American culture are hard for some Arabs to tolerate and why. The survey instrument consists of personal information which includes each participant’s age, gender, country, the extent of his/her interaction with Americans, length of residence in the U.S.,and English language and American culture training. Twenty experiences taken from the lives of Arab students at BYU comprise the body of the survey. The participants were asked if they “Strongly agree”, “Agree”, “Disagree”, or “Strongly disagree” with the feelings of the Arab in each …

Limitations On Development In Ethiopia, Charis Van Dusen Thatcher, Lynn Curtis

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Addis Ababa the 110 years old capital of Ethiopia with a population of 2.3 million emerged from local grass thatched roofed shanties to a densely populated city without planning. Congested living area with serious housing problem with poor housing conditions, poor health and sanitation facilities, shared latrines and kitchens, lack of proper drainage systems added to economic and social problems make life very difficult. It brings the urban poverty level to over 45 percent, positioning Ethiopia as the poorest or second poorest, least developed country in the world.

Understanding Sexual Abstinence Among Adolescent Males, David William Haas, Dr. Renata Forste

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Adolescent sexual activity is an important social issue because it is associated with other high-risk behaviors such as alcohol and substance abuse. Past studies have generally examined factors related to the initiation of sexual activity among youth, rather than modeling the factors predictive of sexual abstinence. Early sexual activity places youth at risk of premarital pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. In addition, first intercourse is influential in redefining a youth’s identity and attitudes, and is an important factor in the transition from adolescence to adulthood (Upchurch, Levy-Storms, Sucoff, & Aneheshensel, 1998). The present study of teen sexual behavior models the …

Implications Of File Sharing: Perceptions Of Intellectual Property In The Digital Age, Maxim D. Littek, Dr. Jay Rush

Journal of Undergraduate Research

File sharing applications are among the most popular and fastest growing software applications. Proponents of file sharing technology argue that these applications build community, transgress barriers, disintermediate, and have transformed assumptions about business, content, and culture. Nevertheless, file sharing applications are accused of stifling creative output and jeopardizing the future quality of music.

In Search Of Relics: The Pectol-Lee Collection Of Artifacts From Capitol Reef, Michelle R. Munsey, Dr. Marti Allen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

To curate an exhibit of leather goods, pottery and processed raw materials from ancient Puebloan cultures at the Museum of Peoples and Cultures (MPC). This exhibit was one discrete component of a larger umbrella project that included publishing a catalogue of the entire exhibit.

Suicide Ideation And Outcome At A University Counseling Center, Melissa Kay Goates, Dr. David Vermeersch

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many institutions of higher education are expressing concern over high suicide rates amongst their students. While one recent study of suicide rates of 12 mid-western campuses reported the student suicide rate to be approximately half of the national suicide rate of 15/100000 (Silverman, Meyer, Sloane, Raffel & Pratt (1997), another review of suicide on college campuses revealed that the reported suicide rates were inconsistent, ranging from 5/100000 to 50/100000. A study by the Centers for Disease Control of the Public Health Service found that the age group with the fastest rising suicide rate was 15-24, and that those ages 20-24 …

Obakrowa Village Assessment, Joshua Schkrohowsky, Dr. Bruce Chadwick

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Buruli ulcer (BU), caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the leading endemic tropical diseases in West Africa (2). M. ulcerans, at the site of infection, forms a subcutaneous nodule. This nodule, unless immediately excised, leads to a progressive deteriorating cavity beneath the epidermis followed by the ulceration of the overlying skin (1).

Internal Security, External Solutions: Reevaluating The Formation Of The Gulf Cooperation Council, Brock Evans Taylor, Dr. Donna Lee Bowen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The formal organization of the Gulf Cooperation Council began on February 4, 1981. After a ceremonial reading of a Qu’ranic Surah the heads of state of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman agreed in principle to facilitate cooperation between their respective countries. During the subsequent months, a formal charter was drafted and ratified by each government, legislating formal cooperation in economic, social, and political spheres. Since its formation, critics have reviewed the behavior and effects of the GCC’s, analyzing the fruits of the union.