Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Farmworker Voices: Contesting & Renegotiating Essential Status During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jennifer Martinez

Student Research Symposium

This study draws on a subset of thirty individuals that took part in the community-driven Oregon COVID-19 Farmworker Study to analyze how farmworkers interpreted the contradictory label essential worker. Using discourse analysis, this article examines how these peasant workers drew on their embodied experiences working throughout the pandemic to give meaning to their essential designation. The data suggest that farmworkers were tacitly aware of the contradictions between their labeling as indispensable and their disposable treatment on the ground. Farmworkers generally felt unrecognized, underpaid, and felt exposed to COVID-19 infection in addition to everyday workplace hazards. While the essential title was …

Reduce, Reuse And Deny: How Sustainability Is Judged By Consumers, Madison E. Hill

Student Research Symposium

This research was an analysis of a series of interviews regarding what factors are considered when deciding if a given product is environmentally friendly or not. Participants were asked to select between products or practices as the generally more sustainable option, and were asked to explain their reasoning for that decision. Participants were encouraged to describe their reasoning behind each choice, but it was noted when certain choices were more challenging than others. Products that green-wash effectively generate trust between consumers trying to ‘do their part’ and industries attempting to capitalize on each side of environmental crises. Most sustainable practices …

Case Study In Activist Applied Linguistics: Working With The Oregon Judicial Department For The Accessibility Of Domestic Relations Information, Amandalyn R. Wayland, Jamal R. Ford, Abbee A. Mortensen

Student Research Symposium

How are students of applied linguistics able to contribute to community efforts in increasing access to justice? Activist applied linguistics (AAL) (Cowal & Leung, 2021) is defined as utilizing applied linguistics in coordination with community partners to address wicked problems (Rittel & Webber, 1973). AAL provides a framework for engaging university students with communities outside of their campus and has been utilized to further work in water justice (Haeffner & Cowal, 2019) and to increase the Oregon State Bar website’s comprehensibility (Anesa, Cowal, & Pulju, 2022). In this poster, we present an AAL case study in which students of applied …

Third-Wave, Mindfulness-Based Therapies As Treatments For Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Xander Kahle, Avery Waklatsi, Amy Pytlovany

Student Research Symposium

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a severe, difficult-to-treat neuropsychiatric condition that affects millions of people throughout the world. The current first-line psychotherapy for OCD is exposure and response prevention (ERP). ERP is effective but flawed, and researchers seek alternative OCD treatments. We examined two third-wave, mindfulness-based therapies (1) acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and (2) mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) as treatments for OCD. We expected ACT/MBCT to have (1a) significantly higher OCD symptom reduction rates, (1b) higher treatment response rates, and (1c) lower dropout rates than a control (progressive relaxation training/PRT), as well as (2a) equal/higher OCD symptom reduction rates, (2b) …

Mental Health In Student Leadership: Perceptions Of Ability, Rose M. Jardine

Student Research Symposium

This proposal aims to evaluate the relationship between perceptions of mental health and leadership ability among student leaders in university communities.

Over fifty participants, including faculty and students, from Oregon universities and community colleges are expected to contribute to this study. Participants will answer a survey and be randomly assigned to one of four situations describing a student leader’s disclosure or non-disclosure, both with and without Bipolar 1 Disorder. Bipolar 1 Disorder was chosen for this study based on its intermittence, varying severity, higher associated stigma, and symptomatology that can include externally perceived increased productivity. They will respond to this …

The Effects Of Approach And Avoidance Dispositions And Sense Of Power On Promotive And Prohibitive Voice Efficacy, Christopher J. Waterbury, Avery N. Waklatsi, Amy Pytlovany Ph.D.

Student Research Symposium

Developments in research on promotive and prohibitive voice in workplaces have important implications for organizational innovation and prevention of unethical behavior. Drawing on theory that approach and avoidance dispositions predict promotive and prohibitive voice, and mediate the effect of a sense of powerfulness or powerlessness to predict voice or silence, the proposed study hypothesizes that approach and avoidance disposition will explain differential effects of personal sense of power on an employee’s perceived efficacy of promotive and prohibitive voice. 200 front-line restaurant workers will be recruited and randomly assigned to receive a (1) powerful prime, (2) powerless prime, or (3) control …

Understanding Work And Sleep Through A Machine Learning Approach, Jennifer Saucedo, Josh J. Prasad, Tori L. Crain

Student Research Symposium

The present study will utilize machine learning methods to find the individual factors (e.g, demographic, lifestyle, contextual, work-related) best predict sleep. I will examine (1) whether machine learning techniques better predict sleep over linear prediction methods and (2) what factors are most important when predicting sleep. Using government-funded data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a variety of prediction methods will be utilized to evaluate and compare predictive performance across 2018, 2019, and 2020. Results found will have a variety of theoretical and practical implications for scientists and practitioners.

Hemp-Lime Insulation: A Climate Friendly Building Material, Ginger Rose Jensen

Student Research Symposium

It is critical to reduce greenhouse gas from the atmosphere to reduce the impacts of climate change. Oregon’s Climate Action Plan has established goals to reduce emissions by developing ‘Clean Buildings’ and increasing the CO₂ sequestered by the state's ‘Natural and Working Lands’. Carbon negative construction materials like hemp-lime insulation could contribute to both goals.

Hemp-lime is a non-structural insulation material made from crushed hemp hurd, a lime-based binder, and water. It is non-toxic and versatile alternative to traditional insulation materials. Hemp-lime was submitted to be added to the International Residential Codes (IRC) index in 2022. IRC approval would …

Daily Work, Nonwork, And Stress Experiences Of Students, Erika A. Schemmel, Tori L. Crain, Rachel G. Lucas-Thompson

Student Research Symposium

A substantial body of literature exists that examines work, nonwork, and stress in employed adults. Less is known about experiences of stress in adolescents and emerging adults. The goal of the present study is to examine the association between daily activities and next day stress within a sample of students. We propose that students use their personal resources to meet school demands, and then need to replenish those resources, or stress may ensure. One aim of this study is to examine the relationship of hours of exercise and sleep with students’ reports of stress the next day. Additionally, many students …

Climate Model Skill At Simulating Large-Scale Atmospheric Circulation Patterns And Associated Temperature And Precipitation Over The Pacific Northwest, Graham Taylor

Student Research Symposium

The ability of the latest state-of-the-art suite of climate models to simulate observed large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns over the Pacific Northwest of North America is evaluated. Twelve representative patterns of atmospheric circulation are identified using machine learning applied to observational data. Climate model data from simulations of the historical period are mapped to each observational-derived pattern, and the resulting differences between patterns, as well as differences in frequency of pattern occurrence, are quantified. In general, models are able to simulate the range of circulation patterns with reasonable accuracy, although model skill varies to some degree across the 25-member climate model …

Evaluation Of Oregon’S Food Waste Recovery And Reintegration Policy Adoption Through Civic Capacity, Jenna N. Stathopoulos

Student Research Symposium

The US Food System is complex and multi-layered, containing many areas for improvement. My research focuses specifically on the issue area of food waste. On a global and national scale mitigating food waste can seem too large to manage. Containing complexity across multiple sectors and with extended timelines for improvements, it is indeed a wicked problem, a problem which in its complexity is almost impossible to fully distinguish or address with one (or even multiple) solutions. (Rittel, 1973). However, when we look to local, place-based solutions we can develop more realistic and actionable plans. The state of Oregon is equipped …

Return Migration, Reintegration, And The Covid-19 Pandemic: Evidence From Kyrgyzstan, Saeed Ahmad

Student Research Symposium

The disruptions to migration caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were particularly notable in the former Soviet Union, because before the pandemic the region experienced levels of circular and labor migration, and comparatively lax restrictions on international mobility. Kyrgyzstan and other FSU states are heavily dependent on migrant remittances from Russia, making the border closures and other restrictions during the pandemic a major source of hardship. This paper draws on 20 interviews with citizens of Kyrgyzstan who returned from Russia after March 2020. We ask how individuals and families made the decision to return to Kyrgyzstan in the chaotic and uncertain …

Is Gender Diversity Enough? Exploring The Impact Of Women’S Representation On The Professional Careers Of Women Of Color, Rana Abulbasal

Student Research Symposium

While existing approaches to workplace stratification illuminate how relational and demographic processes impact workplace inequalities, little research has sought to disaggregate the experiences of professional women at the intersection of race and ethnicity. This study explores how workplace demography intersects with relationships among women to shape the experiences of women of color in professional careers. Relying on a mixed methods study of barriers to advancement among women lawyers, we find that the presence of women in an organization has no effect on the token pressures women of color experience in predominantly white-male organizations, however, it reduces the experience of racial …

Ukraine And Nato, Josh Bowcut

Student Research Symposium

My research and objective was to find out more information on the Ukrainian and Russian war going on in Ukraine right now. Conflicts have always been very interesting to me and I will be serving in the army when I’m done with school, so I feel it is important to be informed on current events such as that. I also believe that it is important the the US does more to support and uphold freedom of other countries from our enemies. So my whole argument was that Ukraine should have been accepted to NATO long before the threat of the …

How Is Covid-19 Impacting Student Mental Health And Academic Outcomes A Year Later: A Follow Up Study, Janice Snow

Student Research Symposium

In April 2020, we examined the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduates, mental health distress, and decreases in grades during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic via a national online survey. The current study is a follow-up to this survey a year later in April 2021. Undergraduate students were recruited for a survey both years (two independent random samples) via instructor announcements, email, listserv, or social media. In spring 2020, higher depressive symptoms, general anxiety, and academic distress were associated with a reported decline in grades. Perceived grade declines were also correlated with higher financial concerns and risk for …

From Art To Science: How Chess Engines Have Influenced The Game, Matthew Richey

Student Research Symposium

The development of chess engines has affected nearly every facet of the game, including approach to study, gameplay, and spectating. This has caused considerable controversy in the chess community. This paper aims to show the changes effectuated by these engines have been largely beneficial to the game. Research was conducted by reviewing scholarly articles, interviews with top chess players, and analyzing chess games. While there have been some changes that can be considered harmful to the art form of chess, the popularization and accessibility provided by these engines led to greater changes within the chess community.

Should I Study Abroad In Sweden?, Sydney Fisk

Student Research Symposium

In my research, I was trying to answer the question of if I should study abroad in Sweden? My research aims to investigate whether Sweden is a safe place for me to go as well as what it would be like to live there for an extended amount of time. By evaluating sources from a variety of people, I was able to inform my argument on why I should study abroad in Sweden. I focused my research by mostly looking at popular sources like blog posts from study abroad programs and students studying abroad in Sweden, but I also found …

Attribution Of Discrimination To The Self In Racial Minorities And Adolescent Females, Natalie Rust

Student Research Symposium

Discrimination among marginalized groups has been shown to affect individuals’ view of themselves (Yang & Gao, 2019; Strehlow et al., 2021; Rivera, 2021). This study seeks to observe self-attribution rates in minoritized groups, specifically in people of color and adolescent females. From a Qualtrics survey, researchers observed adolescents’ experiences with and attributions of discrimination. Respondents had the opportunity to attribute discrimination as resulting from race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, weight, immigration status, or “other”. For adolescents who chose “other”, they were allowed to describe an additional attribution in their own words. Specifically for this study, only participants who chose “other” as …

The Interdependence Of Fat Talk In Father-Son Dyads And Its Effect On Body Esteem: A Quantitative Study Proposal, Marissa Saez

Student Research Symposium

Our society has become overly fascinated with bodily appearance, and much of this obsession has materialized within our conversations with others (Vashi, 2016). This type of speech, wherein individuals speak negatively about their bodies, is known as fat talk (Nichter and Vuckovic, 1994). Although some may believe that the effects of fat talk are minimal, the robust research surrounding fat talk has indicated that the effects of fat talk reach far beyond oneself (Arroyo & Andersen, 2016; Chow & Tan, 2016; Salk & Engeln-Maddox, 2011). However, past research has not examined the effects of fat talk within father-son relationships, notwithstanding …

How Childhood Emotional And Verbal Abuse Influences Future Adult Relationships, Kinlee Meade

Student Research Symposium

Abuse is a societal issue all around the globe especially emotional and verbal abuse whereas it has the least amount of awareness and no clear definition. My research had the sole purpose of studying how childhood emotional and verbal abuse affects the victims' future adult relationships. My research looked into the long term effects abuse has on the psyche and behavior, including various primary source studies that applied the concepts into environmental situations, and how they influence relationships. It has been discovered that emotional and verbal abuse received during childhood create or worsen pre existing mental health conditions such as; …

Digital Beauty: Social Media And Body Image, Dulce Tena

Student Research Symposium

Social media has created unrealistic standards of what a woman should look like through posts, videos, or ads. Research has shown that social media influences body image and poor self-esteem. Social media is known for being a platform where you can share posts that can include photos of yourself. The problem: Since women are affected by body image because of social media, they don’t feel confident in being able to share photos of themselves. Instead, they resort to long periods of scrolling through other posts and fall victim to social comparison. This project seeks to answer the question as to …

Would Free College Tuition Detriment Or Benefit Our Future Society?, Alexee Bambrough

Student Research Symposium

College tuition costs are becoming increasingly more expensive. My research was to understand if eliminating college tuition would benefit or detriment our future society. In conducting my research I used library databases to find primary and secondary sources. I focused heavily on statistics and first hand experiences. From these sources I was able to discover that the college tuition costs are contributing to large amounts of student debt, bigger gaps in equality, and a less educated society. It can be argued that eliminating college tuition costs would overall benefit our future society.

Rural Nonprofit Fundraising Capacity: What Can We Learn From Current Practices?, Janice Snow

Student Research Symposium

Rural nonprofits in the U.S. strive to maintain and improve the quality of life in rural communities, but in many cases are lacking the resources to be effective. Rural nonprofits often have larger services areas while operating with less funding. Little is known about rural nonprofit fundraising and grant writing capacity because previous research has focused on nonprofits in general or urban nonprofits. With differences in organization size, community demographics, and geographical contextual issues, rural nonprofits may need to use different strategies to achieve financial health and stability. Further, rural communities in the U.S. were differentially affected by the COVID-19 …

Violence Experienced In Immigrant Communities, Katherine Flores

Student Research Symposium

Violence is sadly not a new concept to those in immigrant communities. Many immigrants leave their home country for the United States in hopes of finding a better life, not just for themselves but for their families as well. Sadly, what awaits them here, in many cases, is the same thing that they were running from. Violence takes many faces, such as street gangs and domestic violence, and immigrants experience more injustices such as racism and economic struggles. Through these narratives, one can see the struggles of what it means to be an immigrant in the United States and the …

Youth And Psychological Disorders, Charles Dvorak

Student Research Symposium

Youth under the age of 16 are underrepresented when it comes to psychological disorders and treatment. Adults tend to associate their problems with just factors of life and/puberty, and this can lead to even more problems. Recently I noticed my own mental health taking a toll from my childhood, as well as since I moved away from college, I am now an outsider to my friends who are still in high school. The problem is not that the youth do suffer from psychological disorders, it’s that people do not accept that fact and therefore, don’t give them the time of …

Research In Focus: How Does Urban Development Impact Carbon Emissions From Transportation?, Matthew Mccarthy

Student Research Symposium

This research delves into the issue that America is defined by three large issues. The United States is characterized by high automobile dependence, and community development is characterized by high sprawl and suburbs. These characteristics have allowed the transportation sector to account for the largest sector of greenhouse gas emissions in our nation. In searching for solutions to this problem, the research and work of professors Robert Cervero and Kara Kockelman is presented. Through many papers and research, their nicknamed 5D's and presented. These are 5 principles of design and transportation, that when utilized reduce the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) …

Is Parental Encouragement (As Measured By Piccolo) During Toddlerhood Correlated With High-Risk Behaviors In 5Th Grade? Are These Correlations Different For First-Born Children Versus Children With Older Siblings?, Jocelyn Meyers

Student Research Symposium

Children need support through healthy, positive relationships with adults, but they also need room to grow, learn, and slowly gain independence. The PICCOLO User's guide defines Encouragement as an “Active support of exploration, effort, skills, initiative, curiosity, creativity, and play” (Roggman, et.al., 2013). Parental support and encouragement of autonomy is correlated with better development of self-regulation and brain development, and can even influence executive functioning and parent-child relationships (Bernier, et al., 2010). Studies have already shown that proper encouragement in early childhood is linked to healthy development, Ispa, et al. (2004) found that maternal intrusiveness or lack of encouragement and …

A Content And Sentiment Analysis Of Facebook Posts Regarding Wild Horse Management, Libbie Anderson

Student Research Symposium

Controversy surrounding wild horse populations and public lands use has directly affected 177 herd management areas over 26.9 million acres across 10 western states, and grasped the attention of thousands across the nation. As a topic that impacts agriculture, public land use policy, and sparks public conversation, there is a need to understand how wild horse management is being communicated and perceived. The purpose of this study was to better understand public sentiment and current conversations on Facebook regarding wild horse management practices, including fertility control, roundups, and adoption. This was done by conducting a quantitative content analysis and social …

Adapting To Survive, Building To Thrive: A Single Case Study Of A Housing Nonprofit In Rural Kentucky, Amber Post

Student Research Symposium

Rural nonprofits work to combat social and economic challenges their communities face by providing vital support and resources. Rural nonprofits provide jobs, support local businesses, help meet the basic needs of individuals, and advocate for vulnerable populations. Organizations face challenges when operating in rural areas including difficulty finding funding, retaining qualified employees, lack of resources, and limited opportunities for forming partnerships. In this single qualitative case study, the HOMES, a housing nonprofit, impact on social and economic development of Letcher County, Kentucky was examined. HOMES has utilized creative methods to bolster the economy of Letcher County including providing energy-efficient rental …

The Need For Gender Neutral Spaces, Ainsley Statham

Student Research Symposium

An ongoing problem all over the country are universities and the lack of gender-neutral spaces. Students all over are asking for safe and welcoming spaces so they do not have to fear for their safety while on campus. Over the last 10 years, universities have started to adapt their already built spaces to accommodate the needs of their students and faculty by making them gender neutral. I started to research what universities in the country are going above and beyond to make sure their students are safe in contrast to the not-so-great campuses that choose to ignore their students needs. …