Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

How Phonological And Syntactic Overlap Impact Cognate Processing Speeds In Bilinguals, Ella Marie Peterson

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This paper investigates individuals who are proficient in two languages (bilinguals) and the speeds at which bilinguals process cognates (words with comparable form and meaning across languages). This paper cites two ongoing experiments: The Language Identification (LID) task and the Self-Paced Listening (SPL) task. Findings from the LID suggest that phonological overlap in cognates facilitates bilingual language processing speeds, when cognates are presented in isolation. Findings from the SPL suggest that syntactic overlap in cognates also facilitates bilingual language processing speeds, when cognates are presented in sentences. These findings are significant in that the tasks present cognates to participants in …

Dollars And Decibels: Quantifying The Impact Of Railroad Noise Pollution On Housing Prices In Cook County, Il, Clemens Walter Wilson

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Noise pollution is a harmful issue that affects all who have the ability to hear, especially those who live close to major noise sources. Some of the most pervasive noise pollutants are major freight and passenger trains, which are a constant nuisance for many citizens across the United States and around the world. One of the greatest impacts that railroad noise pollution has is on residential housing prices, both the value and appreciation of property are often harmed. My analysis quantifies the effect that elevated noise levels associated with proximity to railroad lines have on residential housing prices in Cook …

Comprehensive Evaluation Of Questions For Undergraduates Exploring Social Topics (Quest): A 7-Year Program Review, Louis Stevens

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

QUEST (Questions for Undergraduates Exploring Social Topics) represents a dynamic collaboration between the University of Montana's esteemed Davidson Honors College (DHC) and a valued community partner. Originating in 2017 from the visionary initiative of two dedicated DHC students, this innovative program was conceived to foster interdisciplinary exploration with real-world impact.

In the heart of Missoula, QUEST empowers student teams to embark on a transformative journey of research, design, and advocacy, tackling pressing, cross-disciplinary challenges facing our community. Guided by the rigors of two semesters of intensive study (HONR 495), participants delve deep into their chosen topics, forging comprehensive solutions that …

Chinese Economic Behavior In Southeast Asia: A Historical And Cultural Overview Of The Migration Patterns, Culture, And Business Practices Of The Chinese Diaspora In Southeast Asia, Zachary Szklarz

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

For hundreds of years, ethnic Chinese have set sail in hopes of peace and economic prosperity in Southeast Asia. Over time, these immigrants became paramount to the culture, economies, and politics of their newfound homes. The immense success of these Chinese migrants and their descendants is based on two main factors: maintaining in-group preference in business and social life without explicit discrimination towards outsiders and holding individuals who have achieved wealth through ethical Confucianist means in high esteem. Unique among diaspora groups, the emigrants from China managed to become fully integrated in their adoptive homelands, while still maintaining traditional customs, …

Addressing Issues In Global Food Systems Contributing To Food Injustice And Waste On A Local Level In Missoula, Mt, Jocelyn Stansberry, Devin Jacaruso, Abbe Feilzer, Gabby Adams, Rianna Bowers, Livi Lackland-Henry

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Food waste and insecurity are two of the most pressing issues of our time. We, as a planet, produce more food than necessary-- enough to feed the entire global population and then some. Yet, millions of people still struggle to find reliable access to food due to inefficient distribution within our global systems. As people face the incredible struggle of starvation and malnourishment produced, in part, by these global systems, they often are forced to notice the lack of meaningful support from within their communities, separating those in need from those that could help. Food waste and community resilience are …

A Road Map For Place Based Collaboration For Conflict Reduction, Joseph L. Zecher

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience Factors And Academic Performance In College Students, Marie Baird

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to many different chronic illnesses and mental health issues. Previous research suggests that resilience factors may mitigate negative outcomes associated with ACEs. The purpose of this project is to investigate the relationship between ACEs, resilience, and grade point average (GPA) in college students. Participants completed an online survey consisting of questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Module, the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), and a question assessing current grade point average and age. Correlation analysis was used to assess the association between the measured variables. The results …

Foreign Language Instruction: Commonalities From Kindergarten To College, Bethany A. Tafoya

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Kindergartners learn much differently than high schoolers or college students. Yet, when it comes to foreign language (FL) instruction, adult learners are often back at square one, like kindergarteners. Though learning capacity and maturity differ greatly between kindergarten and college, are there any common threads in the method of instruction across all these levels? This project was carried out by observing foreign language classrooms from kindergarten to college, identifying the main means of instruction in each class, and analyzing whether any commonalities exist between all the levels. Language is universal, and in an increasingly global world, contact with other languages …

The Impact Of Mental Health On Recidivism: A Logistic Regression Analysis Examining Federal Probation Outcomes, Stephanie Kowal

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This research paper investigates the impact of mental health issues on probation success, utilizing secondary data from the Criminology Research Group at the University of Montana. Employing binary logistic regression analysis, the study examines various factors affecting probation outcomes, with a focus on mental health treatment as a primary independent variable. Findings reveal that individuals receiving outpatient mental health care are significantly more likely to recidivate, supporting the hypothesis that ongoing mental health struggles pose substantial barriers to probation success. Moreover, employment status, age at the start of supervision, adult criminal offenses, and days under supervision emerged as significant predictors …

Examining The Relation Between Anthropomorphism And Theory Of Mind, Noah Paulson

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Two ways people think about the mental state of others is through anthropomorphism and theory of mind. Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human-like capacities to non-human entities, such as ascribing mental and internal states (Waytz et al., 2013). Theory of mind is the ability to infer and understand other people’s mental states, such as beliefs, desires, intentions, and knowledge (Doherty, 2011). We predicted these two concepts are associated, and this prediction was assessed through the research outlined here. The current study examined potential associations between children’s (N=82; 5-8 years old) anthropomorphism, parent-reported theory of mind, and parent-reported social …

The Relationship Between Climate Distress And Climate Education Among College Students, Sylvie T. Heriza

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This study examines the relationship between climate change education and climate distress among college students at the University of Montana. Utilizing a correlational design, forty-seven participants completed a survey assessing their concern with climate change and experience learning about climate change in university classes. Findings underscore the importance of addressing climate-related distress within higher education contexts and highlight avenues for improving university support systems. The study contributes to understanding the intersection of climate change awareness and mental health concerns among college students.

Development Of The Right To Privacy In Montana Discourse And The Montana Constitution, Scott A. O'Donnell

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Assessing American Attitudes: Welfare And Redistribution Preferences Over Time By Race, Gender, And Education, Liliana Silver

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Income and wealth inequality in the United States have skyrocketed since the 1970s, making the country increasingly unequal (Ashok et al. 2015; Hout 2021; Lee 2023). Researchers disagree on whether overall support for redistribution in the United States has changed in the last several decades (Ashok et al. 2015; Lee 2023; Pittau et al. 2016) but recent studies suggest the country has seen a significant political realignment based on race and education, influencing support for redistribution (Kitschelt and Rehm 2019). Much of the literature on redistributive attitudes exists in political science or economics and/or explores fewer dependent variables of race, …

Student-Athlete Mental Health: University Of Montana Case Study, Abigail M. Sherwood

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Research suggests that Division I college-student athletes experience higher levels of stress and other behavioral health issues than their non-athlete counterparts, with up to 20% of them suffering from depression (Sudano et al., 2017). Two studies on student athletes’ well-being conducted in 2020, reported that athletes continue to report higher levels of mental health concerns (Johnson, 2022). Since the fall of 2020, rates of mental exhaustion, depression, and anxiety have improved minimally with rates remaining 1.5 to two times higher than reported before the COVID-19 pandemic (Johnson, 2022). Naomi Osaka withdrawing from the French Open in 2021 and Simone Biles …

Critical Exhibition Methods In Museums, Jaimie Davis Ms

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Art and anthropology are intimately intertwined as art is an extension of culture which falls under the purview of anthropology. Utilizing interdisciplinary methodology that incorporates both anthropology's considerations for culture and art's consideration of aesthetic creates the best possible methodology for exhibition in museums. Art museums have enough aesthetic and could benefit from the considerations an anthropology's school of thought.

Evaluating The Effect Of Nil Laws On College Athletic Department Revenue, Dylan C. Cherullo

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This paper examines the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) laws on revenue for public Division I universities' athletic departments, challenging the long-standing debate within the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). Utilizing panel data from the Knight Commission on College Athletics, which encompasses over 350 public Division I universities from 2002 to 2021, this study employs a difference-in-differences model. The model investigates state-level changes in university athletic department revenue from sponsorships (sponsrev), with special focus on the post-NIL law era. The analysis is bolstered by controls for various factors including ESPN’s FPI data, coach and equipment expenditures, and COVID-19 …

Law Student’S Educational Experiences And Perceptions Of Legal Abuse, Kylie K. Mckittrick, Julie Olomi

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Legal abuse is a form of abuse when an intimate partner uses the court system to further coerce and control their victim. When survivors attempt to keep themselves and their children safe by leaving their abusive partner by using the criminal-legal system, they may be at risk of further abuse, such as legal abuse. More and more research has shown that legal abuse can have severe consequences for survivors such as losing custody of their children, mental health issues like PTSD and depression, costly court cases over the years, and having to stay in contact with their abuser for the …

Analyzing The Accessibility Of Sports Facilities In Missoula, Montana, Quinn T. Peacock

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The purpose of this survey is to understand the qualitative value of the public field inventory that will be analyzed based on quantitative data. We want to understand not only the assumed factors from data that affect rec-participants behavior, but what the individuals have to say about it for themselves as well.

Firewise Landscaping: Homeowner Knowledge, Behaviors And Educational Preferences, Kendal Beauvais, Rowan Grassi, Frederick Gleasman

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Although wildfire is a natural process in fire-adapted forests, it poses growing socioeconomic and health threats. Urban development and expansion into the wildland-urban interface (WUI) has heightened wildfire exposure, putting tens of thousands of homes at risk in Montana alone. The Firewise USA program was created to reduce the risk of home ignition and loss in the WUI. The program encourages WUI homeowners to engage in mitigation efforts such as using Firewise landscaping strategies to create a defensible zone around their homes and using building materials that decrease overall ignition risk. Despite strong evidence that Firewise mitigation strategies are effective, …

Rethinking Trust, Reconnecting Us, Jacob Owens, Connor Dunlap, Seth Carmichael, Ben Brodhead, Reed Lindsey, Colin Mclean, Elle Wilgus

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Advancements in online platforms can lead to a more widely informed public, but they also create room for false information. Misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine has become a public safety issue. Our team created a project that contributes to solving this global problem. Our project’s mission is to tackle vaccine related misinformation. The project utilizes a human-centered method to design a solution.

Based on our literature review the main problem is skepticism about getting vaccinated. Our solution is to create an online portal targeted at college students, highlighting the benefits of vaccination, examining examples of misinformation, providing trusted sources for …

Community Outdoor Recreation Realization Pilot Review And Recommendations, Ashley Castro, Jazzelle Elias, Grace Friend, Lisa Spang, Grace Walhus

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Community Outdoor Recreation Realization, or CORR, was created through collaboration of Montana Access Project, University of Montana, and the US Forest Service. This program is intended to help rural Montana communities realize recreation assets and plan for their development. A pilot of the CORR process was implemented in two Montana communities: White Sulphur Springs and Columbia Falls. Researchers interviewed CORR facilitators and community members who participated in the CORR process. From the feedback received in these qualitative interviews, researchers presented recommendations to improve the CORR process and created an initial toolkit to be used by future communities. This report covers …

The Links To Cancer: How Golf Became Dangerous And What We Can Do To Save The Game, Meredith Boos

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This study is a comprehensive meta-analysis on health claims linked to exposure to golf courses, more specifically the chemicals used to maintain their appearance. It provides a brief history of the golf industry and how its growth exacerbated the environmental impact as well as an explanation of the legal landscape that will affect golf course management. Golf courses can disrupt local ecologies, contaminate ground water, rivers, lakes and streams with run-off, and be responsible for the bioaccumulation of chemicals which remain dangerous for decades. Despite the adverse effects of golf courses on the environment, there remains an opportunity to transform …

Eating Disorders And Autism: A Network Approach, Lillian C. King

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This paper explores the overlap of ED and ASD symptoms, and evaluates the results of a study that used network analysis to investigate pathway and core ED and ASD comorbidity symptoms. Eating Disorders (EDs) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have several overlapping symptoms that may inform our understanding of both disorders. Increased knowledge of the overlap of EDs and ASD can improve the treatment of EDs in those with ASD.

Barriers To Outdoor Recreation For Marginalized Groups At The University Of Montana, Sabine R. Englert, Beatrix Frissell, Adrienne Liebert, Sophia Rodriquez, Margaret Jensen, Rachana Harris, Abby Doss

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Exclusion from outdoor recreation reflects legacies of oppression of marginalized communities and makes access to the outdoors not equally available. In the United States, approximately 38% of Black Americans and 48% of Hispanic Americans participated in outdoor recreation in 2020. This is compared to 55% participation among Caucasian Americans. Many other intersecting identities are actively excluded, including people with disabilities, fat populations, and members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community; furthermore, class-based hierarchies are shown through the restricted outdoor access of low-income populations.

While numerous studies show a lack of diversity in outdoor recreation, little to no research has been conducted on …

Brave Spaces, Radical Openness, And Youth Loneliness, Taylor Curry, Mariah Thomas, Riese Munoz

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

It is no secret young adults, no matter where in the world they come from, face social pressures with the potential to be isolating. For today’s youth, not only are they feeling the commonplace anxieties about fitting in, finding success, and uncertainty of the future, but these anxieties are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Young adults from all over the globe report feeling more anxious, more depressed, and more lonely. However, it is also no secret that deliberate community building, creation of art and writing as a means of self-exploration, and participation in spaces designed for acceptance fend off these …

Welcome To The Farm, Elani Ben-Gabriel Borhegyi

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The purpose of this creative scholarship is to examine human relationships to Earth and the implications for a thriving future. This thesis studies the current environmental state of our planet, then looks at sustainability as a model for improving human and planetary health, and ends by visualizing a thriving future beyond sustainability in which we adopt a “caretaker” culture. The key to this trajectory is to untangle and dismantle colonial relationships with the planet and replace them with “caretaker” relationships - relationships rooted in love, honor, and reciprocity with environmental connection, while taking into account past, present, and future generations …

Depictions Of Strikes On Social Media, Zachary D. Mangels

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Social media provides a rich source for the study of social movements. Not only do movement organizations use social media as a platform to spread their message and organize, but users can also share their thoughts about a particular movement with ease. This project seeks to understand how the socioeconomic status and gender of a social movement’s participants affect the public’s reaction to their activities. This is done by studying how these movements are described on Twitter, and if these descriptions differ among different striking professions. The types of social movement I intend to study are all strikes which were …

Strong Little Minds: A Children's Introduction To Mental Illness, Teresa Irene Vick

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

The History And Conflicts Of The Montana Environmental Policy Act, William Oliver Borghesani

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Different Versions Of Myself, Anya Smith

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This is a research-informed screenplay exploring the relationship between religion and recreational pole dancing. While the popularity of recreational pole dancing has grown over the last two decades, it remains a controversial topic in some circles. This study employed interviews, autoethnography, and a literature review to examine the tensions between pole dancing and religion. Creative Analytic Practice was employed as a method of evaluating and presenting the research, which culminated in a fictional screenplay.

The story is about Louise, a young woman caught between two worlds. She feels pressured to conceal her recreational pole dancing activities in order to retain …