Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

How Demographics Influence Self-Image, Stephanie Yu, Amy Whitmarsh, Leyla Rakshani, Aaron Schurger

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

When creating psychological research surveys, demographics are typically recorded at the end of the primary survey. Psychologists suggest placing demographic questions at the end to omit any biases from the participants (Hughes et al., 2016). Does the placement of these types of questions influence people without them knowing? How does this apply across different ethnic groups? Can demographic question placement prime individuals in their self-rating of attractiveness and the overall impact of demographic placement on survey results? After an initial round, we wanted to see if ethnic groups would be primed differently when viewing people of the same race. We …

Fear Of Immigrants And Immigration In American Society, Sabrina Laib

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Immigrants, regardless of status, are portrayed as a threat to American society through the media. This paper will investigate Americans and their fear of non White immigrants and naturalized citizens through the theories of immigration threat, social identity theory, group cue, and the so-called freeloader problem. Due to the rise of xenophobic rhetoric being parroted by American politicians such as the Muslim ban enacted during the time of former President Trump’s presidency, the U.S. border control’s violence towards central American refugees, as well as undocumented laborers that Florida’s Governor DeSantis did not want working in his state anymore, leading to …

Pasta And Politics: A Taste Of Culinary Xenophobia In Italy, Rachel Berns

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Italy has become a common “landing country” for many European and Asian immigrants, creating a perception of invasion that has led to cultural reactionism masked in the reinforcement of “traditional cuisine.” For so-called traditional foods to endure, they must continually be reinvented, bearing different meanings and social values throughout time and space while accumulating rich, cultural baggage that serves as a powerful marker of identity in a given society. This project explores the role of traditional cuisine in Italian national identity and pride, and the subsequent historical culinary antagonism maintained in widespread attitudes toward ethnic cuisine in Italy. Through an …

The Role Of Generational Status In Latino Voting Behavior And Partisanship, Isabella Stoddart

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In recent years, there has been a notable divergence in the voting behavior of Latinos and Hispanics in the United States across generations, including an uptick in Republican vote share in regions such as South Florida. There has been a lack of consensus as to why this is occurring and literature seeking to explain this phenomenon has been limited in its evaluations and has failed to control for variables such as age, gender, education level, and religiosity. There has also been an overemphasis on the role political assimilation and voter participation play for this minority group. This study theorizes that …

Media Consumption And Islamophobia, Anastasia Athanasiadi

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Islamophobia has been a growing issue in the United States, especially after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center twin towers in 2001, from innocent people being harassed on the street or various social media platforms to a Muslim ban implemented by former President Donald Trump. The rise of online media has allowed individuals, organizations, politicians, and news outlets to post their opinions/ articles that perpetuate a fear of Muslims in the United States and worldwide. As media consumption has skyrocketed in recent years, American society has become more exposed to Islamophobic content than ever before, and its effects …

User Feedback On Celebratory Technology Model For Reducing Stigma, Evelyn Lawrie, Daniel Dinh, Sav Avalos, Jack De Bruyn, Spencer Au, Christian Lopez, Ray Tan, Cyrus Fa'amafoe

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Social stigma is a complex manifestation that affects humanity, particularly individuals with disabilities and other marginalized groups, including those with physical, cognitive, and emotional conditions. Society often judges these individuals' interactions with the world, and many technologies designed to assist those with disabilities attempt to change their daily interactions and behaviors. Nonetheless, when the emphasis is placed on validating disabled identities, there is a potential for it to be seen as "inspiration porn." This approach might inadvertently reduce inclusivity and do little to challenge negative stereotypes; it can also lead to the objectification of individuals with disabilities. Therefore, this project …

The Pride Pipeline: Violent Nationalism In The United States, Emily Veloz

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

A striking rise in American Nationalism has emerged due to varying factors; however, a particular selection of identities have acted as primary contributors to this phenomenon. This piece navigates the increasing application of violence in the political arena in tandem with the impacts of racial, socioeconomic, and social factors that have fueled this collective aggression. Previous research points toward the hyperpolarization that has been perpetuated by political figures and media outlets, the augmentation of a psychological us-vs.-them mentality, and the perceived threat to American hegemony across the globe. Through an analysis of data provided by the 9th edition of the …

The Professionalization Of The Supreme Court, Ruben Lopez-Apodaca

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The professional and personal backgrounds of Supreme Court Justices are becoming increasingly similar. Nearly all sitting justices hold degrees from an Ivy league law school and have experience as federal circuit judges. In earlier periods this was not the case. The Stone Court of the 1940’s had six Ivy League alumni and one judge with federal circuit experience. This begs the question, when and why did this shift take place? This study will provide an overview of the occupational and educational backgrounds of every justice from 1910 to the present, in addition to Supreme Court nominees of the same period …

Who Is Most Likely To Fear Financial Collapse, Robert Hutchens

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

§The United States has the largest economy in the world and yet Americans are often worried or concerned about the state of the economy and the effect of the economy on their lives. In this paper I examine the complex relationships between groups of people and their fear and opinion of financial collapse; specifically looking into the rationale and influences behind those opinions. Using the Chapman University American Fears Survey, I found a strong correlation between low income and fear of financial collapse, especially amongst those who make less than fifty thousand dollars a year. Education is also shown to …

America’S Fear Of Civil Unrest Through The Lens Of 2020 Blm Protests And January 6th, Morgan Romine

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Over the past five years, the United States of America (US) has experienced events which highlight societal weakness and faults in the foundations of the US system. This research paper focuses on the level of fear a participant has of civil unrest in the US, how that fear has evolved following the events of 2020, including the January 6th Insurrection and 2020’s summer of Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests. Factoring the age, political affiliation, and socio-economic status of the study’s participants into the findings, is a way to understand where the participant’s fear may be stemming from. My research uses …

Information Inflation: How Social Media News Consumption Contributes To Societal And Political Fears, Owen Cotton

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

By permitting each American to be exposed to countless amounts of information through social media, platforms have become even more influential for public perception. Since the establishment of social media platforms the United States has certainly seen an increase in political and social disputes, particularly during the last couple presidencies. In this paper I will examine what is the link between growing concerns of public unrest and social media, and to what extent the next generations of Americans are affected. With a partial focus on feelings resulting from the January 6th riots in 2021, I will examine to what extent …

The Truth About Partisan Affiliation: Fear, Trust, And Media, Hailey Merin

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

As the father of Western logic, Aristotle's research of the scientific method of analysis, biology, and psychology has been adopted by present-day America. If America has openly accepted an array of Aristotle's teachings, why have they ignored his observations that political parties are non-Democratic?

This research explores the relationship between political party affiliation, sentiment toward the government, and media influence on fear of corrupt government officials. Firstly, this paper examines the idea that sentiments toward the government are influenced by partisan affiliation. Secondly, it determines that after the 2020 election, Republicans fear corrupt government officials more than any other major …

Behind The Scenes: Shining A Spotlight On Veiled Theatre Workers, Ariel Bradshaw

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

My thesis aims to highlight traditionally underrepresented theatre artists. I wish to dive deeply into the many backstage, or “veiled” workers, who continue to go unacknowledged. Why is there an aspect of “veiled” theatre created to stay hidden? Even in technical theatre, some specialties receive more credit or recognition than others. For example, the Tony Awards offer categories for direction, sound, light, costume, and scenic design, yet no award for stage management. How are institutions working to create more representation in an intentionally hidden space? This project will specifically focus on the representation of stage managers, arguably the most invisible …

Change Of Perception And Positive Attitudes Toward Therapy: A Comparative Analysis Conducted On Veterans Of The United States Of America, Hailey Buitrago, Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Active duty military members can be subjected to significant amounts of stress, trauma, and physical and mental exhaustion during their service periods. It is vital to recognize the extent of these mental health disorders because they affect 27% of veterans, and when not adequately treated, they can lead to increased functional disability, even more so than physical illnesses (Philips, 2016; Wells et al., 1989). This study aims to examine how different types of information influence the perceptions of therapy for veterans. Veterans of all branches of the United States military between the ages of 18 and 100 were asked to …

Exploring The Relationship Between Participation In Hookup Culture And Attachment Style, Tanshi Mohan

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The taboo around casual sex has been decreasing over the years, especially on college campuses; it is estimated that around 60-80% of college students engage in hookups (Garcia et al., 2013). Hookup culture is a college campus phenomenon that encompasses the social scripts, beliefs, and norms around casual sex among college students (Allison, 2019). The term “hooking up” includes a range of sexual behaviors, from kissing to intercourse, that have no expectation of a committed relationship after the encounter (LaBrie, 2012). The goal of this study is to understand how differences in an individual’s attachment styles and sociosexuality (attitude towards …

Critical Race Theory: An Empirical Investigation Of Its Benefits, Saba Lily Modaressi, Desiree A. Crevecoeur-Macphail

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Within the last decade, discussions regarding the implementation of critical race theory in education have gained significant controversy among educators and politicians. Although empirical research on critical race theory is limited, conservative states continue to place bans on the teaching of critical race theory (CRT) in K-12 schools (Carter, 2021). The purpose of this study was to build empirical research on CRT, specifically examining whether a course utilizing a critical race curriculum is effective in reducing negative stereotype beliefs and improving attitudes toward critical race theory. Nineteen undergraduate students who were enrolled in the course, IES 102: The Social Construct …

Microaggressions Versus Blatant Discrimination And Their Effects On Mental Health, Ian Lock

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This study examined the relationship between types of discrimination and its effect on mental health. Specifically, comparing microaggressions and blatant discrimination to see which variable had a significant impact on depression and anxiety. Microaggressions, derogatory slights/insults directed at members of an oppressed group, are a primary focus for researchers looking at racial discrimination. The impact of microaggressions is prevalent across a myriad of different marginalized groups such as people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. Microaggressions have a large negative impact on mental and physical well-being in individuals, with research finding that it has a negative impact on symptoms …

How Single Parent Households Affect The Sociability Of Children, Roland Jonathan Casiquin

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Family dynamics that differ from the traditional nuclear family have become increasingly common in the home. When examining differences between single parent households and two-parent households in terms of sociability, research has shown that children in single parent homes displayed less social competence than children in two-parent homes, based on the children’s interaction with their peers in school. However, less research has explored the effect of reintroducing a second parental figure after the separation of children’s parents. This study retrospectively examined children’s sociability as a result of their parents’ relationship status as well as several aspects of the children’s living …

The Effects Of Media Usage On Climate Change Beliefs, Leia Hernandez

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The subject of climate change has been a controversial debate for the past decade on whether it is real or just a myth. In this paper, the research that is found from various surveys will examine the correlation between fear of climate change and types of media usage. The correlation between fear of climate change and a person’s media usage will also demonstrate how media usage affects and shapes public opinion. The data associated with the fear of climate change was collected through the Chapman University American Fear Survey (CSAF). The survey sample was conducted on 1035 participants which is …

Conspiracy Beliefs: A Threat To Political Stability, Robert Arellano

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The United States may be the most powerful nation on Earth, yet its people still have endured both hardships and tragedies. Events such as the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the terrorist attacks on September 11^th, the AIDS crisis, and the bombings of Pearl Harbor are all tragic events that have influenced American cultural fears. But the trauma and painful memories of tragic events have led some Americans to question any form of authority, even without evidence. In this paper, I examine the extent to which distrust in authority, fear, and overall pessimism lead to conspiratorial thinking. …

Reconnecting With Exes And Having Sex With Platonic Roommates During The First Five Months Of The Covid - 19 Pandemic, Valentyna Simon, Alex Kraft, Amanda Gesselman, Justin Garcia

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic limited people’s interactions as a result of social distancing and stay-at-home orders across the U.S., and research documented declines in partnered sex during this time (Hensel et al., 2020). It is unclear if people who were single during the first few months of the pandemic found sexual connections with ex-partners or roommates. In the present study, we examined the prevalence of people contacting ex-partners and non-romantic roommates to engage in sex.

We analyzed data from a national sample of people who were currently single in the U.S. as part of The Kinsey …

The Effects Of Trauma On Holocaust Survivors After The War, Natalie Braker

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This paper will examine the effects of trauma among Holocaust survivors after the war, including Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), triggers, nightmares, and anxiety. It will review clinical research by comparing it to the range of experiences of Holocaust survivors as described in videotaped interviews during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Upon reviewing existing literature, it becomes clear that PTSD is life-long for Holocaust survivors. PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by either experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event or a series of events. There are four general types of PTSD symptoms: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking …

How Demographics Influence Self-Image, Leyla Rakshani, Melissa Brillhart, Stephanie Yu, Aaron Schurger

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

When creating psychological research surveys, demographics are typically recorded at the end of the main survey. The reasoning behind psychologists placing demographic questions at the end can be to omit any biases from the participants (Hughes et al., 2016). However, does the placement of these types of questions influence people without them knowing? This research project will answer these questions to find the effects of demographic question placement on participants. Specifically, can demographic question placement prime individuals and their self-rating of attractiveness and the overall impact of demographic placement on survey results? To test this question, this project will conduct …

Climate Change Skepticism: Who And Why?, Mia Huyen Truong

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Despite persistent scientific consensus urging immediate action, political polarization, and skepticism have hindered effective climate change mitigation, especially in the United States. This paper explores the factors influencing climate change attitudes among different groups, focusing on right-wing affiliates and Christian believers. Drawing on the Anti-Reflexivity Thesis (McCright and Dunlap, 2001-2010) and Information Processing Theory (Wood & Vedlitz, 2007), we investigate the effects of individual characteristics, including partisan ideology, party identification, educational attainment, and Christian faith. Using Wave 7 (2021) of the Chapman Survey of American Fears Survey, a nationwide sample of different fears among U.S. adults, this study aims to …

Engagement In Diverse Sexual Behaviors And Desire For Different Types Of Relationships Among Single Heterosexual People When Covid-19 Vaccines Were First Available, Manya Dhupar, Emily Foster, Amanda Gesselman, Justin Garcia

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Background Decades of research have found a consistent gender difference in sexuality: men tend to desire short-term and casual relationships, and women desire monogamous relationships (Petersen & Hyde, 2010; Moors et al., 2013). The COVID-19 pandemic provides a context that may shift a person’s desires for sexual activities or types of relationships. Recent research suggests that the pandemic allowed people to reevaluate their intimate lives, including lowered interest in monogamy and increased exploration of sexual activities (Lehmiller et al., 2021; Masterson et al., under review). Method: In the present study, we analyzed data from a national sample of single …