Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Economic Empowerment Through Art, Ava Ellis

Thinking Matters Symposium

Economic Empowerment Through Art: Final Abstract

Ava Ellis, Shaw Innovation Fellow, USM, MSW graduate student

My research project focused on using drawing and one-to-one art workshops as a way into discussing money habits. Participants shared their beliefs about money and responses to questions about money. They considered ways they may want to alter habits related to money within the 1 hour workshop, art was used as a scaffold to envision future-oriented economic goals. Participants mentioned uncertainty regarding financial planning and a lack of education regarding money in childhood. All felt they often needed more financial insight, in terms of developing …

The Effect Of Leverage On Credit Default Swaps, Xiling Lai

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

The research investigates the effect of leverage on the pricing of Credit Default Swaps (CDS) and focuses on key sectors of the economy: Technology, Financials, Consumer Staples and Industrials. CDS are financial instruments that were developed a few decades ago and have become more widely used in financial markets for hedging credit exposures. Given their prevalence in financial markets, it is important to understand how CDS spreads change when reference entities modify their capital structure.

In the regression analysis, the level of CDS spread is used as dependent variable, and the standardized relative leverage is used as independent variable. My …

Simulating Salience: Developing A Model Of Choice In The Visual Coordination Game, Adib Sedig

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This project is primarily inspired by three papers: Colin Camerer and Xiaomin Li’s (2019 working paper)—Using Visual Salience in Empirical Game Theory, Ryan Oprea’s (2020)—What Makes a Rule Complex?, and Caplin et. al.’s (2011)—Search and Satisficing. Over the summer, I worked towards constructing a model of choice for the visual coordination game that can model player behavior more accurately than traditional game theoretic predictions. It attempts to do so by incorporating a degree of bias towards salience into a cellular automaton search algorithm and utilizing it alongside a sequential search mechanism of satisficing. This …

Agents Of Economic Resilience And The Role Of Islamic Approach Towards Financial Inclusion During Covid-19: A Case Of Pakistan, Aneela Kiran, Muhammad Imran Khan

3rd IBA SBS International Conference 2024

Pakistan is facing issues of health financing and food crises due to increasing prices of goods and services. It is important to reduce the risk food insecurity, and economic vulnerability. The aim of this study is to explore the Vulnerability of society to pandemic shocks and resilience of Islamic country like Pakistan and also to explore and identify the agents of Economic resilience in Pakistan. This study additionally explored the role of Islamic approaches toward financial inclusion during pandemic This study is based on multiple data types and methods. The study has used primary as well as secondary qualitative and …

Kankakee In Deindustrialization: An Oral History Approach, Rachel Shepard

Scholar Week 2016 - present

The City of Kankakee was an industrialized city which prospered economically for decades. Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, economic trends shifted for Kankakee and the surrounding communities. The major factories, such as Roper Corporation and A.O. Smith, migrated their source of production from Kankakee to other regions of the United States and abroad during the 1970s and 1980s. As a result, the declining industrial economic activity led to changing community perceptions. Kankakee is an example of the “Rust Belt” region, a region in the Midwestern and Northeastern States of the United States where declining industrial activity occurred throughout the …

The Effect Of Quantitative Easing On U.S. Stock Prices And Wealth Inequality, Griffin W. Phillips

Student Scholar Showcase

My thesis will investigate and try to find a casual relationship between Quantitative Easing, or “QE”, and the U.S. stock market since 2003. The secondary effects will then be investigated to see if stock prices impact wealth inequality. To find the causal relationship between the two a regression model will be used. It predicts the magnitude of effects for QE and other variables that may impact stock prices. Since 2007-2009, the Federal Reserve has used QE as a means to spur economic growth. This expansionary monetary policy has impacted many financial markets including the U.S. stock market. Finding the extent …

Catch Me If You Can: Questionable Modelling Assumptions And Parameter Choices And Their Impact On Drug Reimbursement Decisions, Lina Ghattas

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) is a health technology assessment (HTA) agency. CADTH conducts appraisals on health technologies and makes reimbursement recommendations to Canadian public drug plans to guide their reimbursement decisions. When being considered for reimbursement, drug companies submit pharmacoeconomic reports, which typically include long-term decision models. These models make assumptions and use parameters that may favour one intervention over the other. In this study, we comprehensively review the last year of drug submissions appraised by CADTH, with the aim of identifying, categorizing, and critically reviewing key methodological flaws made by drug companies in …

What’S Your Natural Next Question? The Inquiry Approach To Learning Economics, Paul R. Koch, Rachel Carlassare

Scholar Week 2016 - present

During the current academic year, both introductory and upper-division economics courses at Olivet have used an app in Canvas, developed by Beagle Learning, for the purpose of engaging students in critical thinking using an inquiry learning process. Students iteratively cycle through: 1) posing a goal question, 2) finding a resource which provides an answer to that question, at least in part, which then 3) prompts an additional question whose answer increases the degree of certainty regarding the original goal question.

This presentation will concentrate on how this process has been incorporated into the Principles of Economics class, which is a …

Pornography: Social, Emotional And Mental Implications Among Adolescents, William Kelly Canady

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

This presentation will explain the historical development of pornography. It will highlight four segments: 1- Porn’s impact on brain development of reward pathways, ultimately increasing the appetite for more porn. 2- Porn can be a false substitute for real intimacy, resulting in decreased sexual satisfaction with a real person and increased verbal and physical aggression. 3- Porn promotes sex trafficking, promotes multiple sex partners and reduced STD prevention. 4- A review of interventions available to assist clients in navigating a lifestyle away from pornography.

Econ 308: Differences In Big Banks And Small Banks, Danielle Hess

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

62% of the world's population has a bank account, whether it be checking, savings, or some other form of account. There are thousands of different banks across the world, ranging in size from one branch to hundreds. What is the main difference between small and large banks? This project breaks down the differences between the balance sheets of different small and large banks.

Econ 319: A Closer Look Into Trade With Madagascar, Casey Williams

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Trade may seem like simple transaction between two parties, but in reality, trading comes with many boundaries and challenges that may not be easy to see from the outside. This research was conducted by collecting data about Madagascar’s trade with the United States, the types and amount of products being imported and exported, and a closer look at each economy. In our course, we discussed how the Gravity Model, the idea that most countries will find it easiest and most efficient to trade with big economies that are close rather than ones that are farther away, plays a vital role …

The Statistical Relationship Between Income Inequality And Monetary Policy In Spain And The United States, Brooke Whetstone

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Background

Contractionary monetary policy has long run effects on inequality (Feldkircher & Kakamu, 2018). However, other forms of monetary policy do not have a clear effect on income inequality. Central banks defend the position that other factors are the driving forces behind income inequality (Powell, 2018).

Methodology

This investigation utilized ANOVA Regression analysis to determine if income inequality, as measured by wage growth by sector, is related to interest rates in the United States and Spain. If applicable, slopes of the regression lines for each sector were compared to see if they were significantly different, in a statistical sense.

Results …

Stand Up And Be Counted, Kimberly Smith

Black Issues Conference

“Stand Up and Be Counted”- The presentation spotlights the US Census over 200 years, the American minority by the numbers, and wielding the 2020 census as a tool for the next decade of minority political and social empowerment.

Presenter: Kimberly Smith, MBA

Company: US Census Bureau

This workshop is designed to improve the awareness of civic responsibilities and participation in the decennial 2020 census. The information discussed will educate the audience on the history and process of the census, as well as, the impact of census data on minority communities.

Format:

The presentation will begin with census introductory information and …

Reinventing The Wheel: Comparing Family Friendly Vegas And Adult Friendly Vegas Revenue Growth, James Vaughn

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The one constant for Las Vegas is change, always looking for the Next Big Thing™. In the 1990s, Las Vegas engaged in a grand experiment: roller coasters, amusement parks, family pools and shows. In the 2000s, Las Vegas reinvented itself back to its roots: condo not amusement parks, sensual not swashbuckling shows, topless European ultra-pools not kiddie pools. While the house always wins, did the casinos of the 1990s or 2000s beat the ultimate house, going beyond nominal revenue growth into the jackpot of real revenue growth?

The Role Of Income Inequality As A Predictor Of Per Capita Gross Domestic Product, Daniel Friedberg

Student Scholar Showcase

The role of income inequality in relation to gross domestic product is of great importance in modern time. Income inequality is a pressing phenomenon in the fields of economics, politics, and sociology, while Gross Domestic Product is the benchmark statistic in measuring the health of any economy. But how well does income inequality serve as a predictor for the level of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) GDP per capita within a nation? This cross-sectional study determines that the GINI Index has no significant statistical relationship with PPP GDP per capita level. While income inequality is a major economic variable that contributes …

Socioeconomic Influences On Property Crime Rates: A Study In Virginia's Counties, Mary Passley

Student Scholar Showcase

Most research on factors and causes of crime, whether property or violent crime, focuses on individuals’ behavior or their surrounding environment. In this research, I explore the idea of socioeconomic factors correlated to property crime. I conducted a retrospective design to fully explore United States Census data and crime data gathered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics to discover statistically significant variables connected to property crime. Significant findings were shown by average people per house and retail sales per capita in all counties. Additional significant findings were percent employment change and percent with high school degree or higher in low …

Determinants Of Parking Fees On College Campuses, Hannah Huckeby

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The price of parking has recently been a hot topic around the Murray area, especially among the college students. Due to the drastic increase in parking pass prices there has been an abundant amount of discussion surrounding this idea of parking being a public good. Many individuals have been outraged which has brought up the questions of why there is a price tag on something that many people consider a public good. With that being said, this paper is going to take a deeper look into parking specifically pertaining to college campuses but also in the cities surrounding these institutions. …

Session 1 : Common As Alternative For The Future (I) : Towards An Ubuntu World : New Discourses On The Upsurge Of The Commons And Visions Of The Future, Manoranjan Mohanty

South South Forum 南南論壇

On Day 4 (16 June 2018), in the session of “Common as Alternative for the Future (I)”, Manoranjan MOHANTY (Council for Social Development, India) delivered a lecture on Towards an Ubuntu World.

The video is produced by Global University for Sustainability, 2018.

Session 1: Decolonizing The Mind: Beyond Nationalism And Globalization: The Prophecy And Crisis Of October, Hui Wang

South South Forum 南南論壇

On Day 2 (14 June 2018), in the session of “Decolonizing the Mind: Beyond Nationalism and Globalization”, WANG Hui (Tsinghua University, China) delivered a lecture on The Prophecy and Crisis of October.

The video is produced by Global University for Sustainability, 2018.

Left-Wing And Right-Wing Terrorism In The United States, Alex Rant, Paul Jones, Nathanael Robinson

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

This paper assesses whether there is causality between Left-Wing and Right-Wing Terrorist attacks in the United States. A Vector Auto-Regressive (VAR) Model is estimated for the two variables. A Granger Causality test and Impulse Response Functions are examined to understand the relationship between the two variables. Both terrorist attacks appear to Granger Cause each other, but an analysis of the Impulse Response Functions reveals that Right-Wing Terrorism yields a stronger response from Left-Wing groups than Left-Wing terrorism does from Right-Wing groups. Nonetheless, there are strong elements of causality and response between the two groups.

The Efficacy Of Public Health Interventions Aimed At Curbing Gun Violence: An Integrative Review, Brian Cook

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Abstract

Background: Gun violence is a pressing public health issue in the United States. Homicide is the second-leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year-old Americans, and the third-leading cause of death for 25 to 34 year-old Americans, and 80% of these homicides are committed via firearm. In recent years, the field of criminology has studied the efficacy of a variety of policing, public health, and public policy interventions that aim to reduce the incidence of gun violence, but many of their findings have yet to be incorporated into the body of nursing literature.

Objective: This project’s objective was …

Does Where You Grow Up Affect Your Chances Of Being Drafted Into The Nfl?, Walker Head

Georgia College Student Research Events

The minimum rookie salary in the National Football League (NFL) is $450,000. First round picks often sign multi-year contracts worth more than $10 million. Players from some states are much more likely to receive college scholarships and eventually be drafted into the NFL, but it is not clear if this is a causal relationship. Utilizing data from Rivals and the NFL, I attempt to determine if where a player grew up has an impact on his chances of being drafted to play professional football. I focus on the top eight states, as it relates to percentage of recruits and my …

Immigration: Rhetoric Vs. Empirical Evidence, Kolleen Rask

HCAA Continuing Education Day

Questions about immigration not only took center stage in last year’s presidential election, but they also proved to be extremely divisive for the country. Many people have a “sense” of why immigration is good or bad for the United States, sometimes formed on the basis of a specific story that shows a good or bad outcome, sometimes based on a broader utopian or dystopian view of the world. But few have taken the time to really study the issue or even consider what questions should be asked. We’ll look at immigration into the United States – both legal and undocumented …

Foreign Aid Allocation And Impact In Latin America And The Caribbean (Lac): A Cross-Country Analysis Of Foreign Aid Impact On Gdp Per Capita And Life Expectancy., Ancito Etienne

Student Scholar Showcase

The research paper I will be presenting does an empirical study of the impact of foreign aid on life expectancy and GDP per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean using a panel dataset of 22 and 20 countries, respectively, dated from 1996 to 2014 to perform two distinctive regressions using the OLS method. In addition, an exploration of the impact of GDP per capita on life expectancy was conducted to determine whether there was a cause and effect phenomenon. The findings suggest that foreign aid does not seem to have a positive impact on either GDP per capita or …

The Assessment Of The Impacts Of Differently-Designed Tax And Expenditure Limitations (Tels) On Municipal Government Revenues: A Game Theoretic Approach, Sungho Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Nearly every state in the US imposes some form of limitation on local fiscal decisions – typically property taxes. The effects of tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) on fiscal outcomes have received significant attention by scholars, particularly since passage of California’s Proposition 13. The impact of TELs, however, remains an open empirical question, particularly at the municipal level. Do municipal governments with varying types of TELs, changing TEL structures, or no TELs experience different fiscal outcomes? Scholars and practitioners have attempted to answer these questions; however, the existing literature has at least two limitations. First, the extant literature fails to …

Indiana Council For Economic Education, Jeff Sanson

Purdue P-12 Networking Summit & Poster Session

The Indiana Council for Economic Education (ICEE), a center in the Department of Agricultural Economics prepare students to become active citizens and productive members of our economy by providing them with the ability to make sound economic and financial decisions.

This poster provides a summary of activities conducted throughout Indiana.

Innovation And Productivity: Evidence From China, Jingying Xu

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

This paper investigates a lesser-known effect of innovation on the productivity of manufacturing firms in China. Innovation is a powerful vehicle for new firms to enter the market and compete with established firms. Innovation plays a key role in the productivity of firms and it matters for all types of firms, new as well as established. The ratio of new product output to the firms total outputs is used to measure innovation ability in this paper. A higher ratio is expected to have a positive impact on a firms productivity since new products are likely to be more differentiated than …

Optimal Land Conservation By State In Terms Of Gdp, Carolyn Fuwa, Robert Mccormick

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Our research analyzes and compares the different levels of conservation in terms of acres and invested dollars between states and how these different approaches to conservation effects each states production over time.

Competitive Balance And Attendance In Major League Baseball, Gary Koplik, Christopher Kennedy, Ryan Jann, Daniel Meyer

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Competitive balance is an important issue for Major League Baseball (MLB). If there is too much separation between the best and worst teams it is believed that games become uninteresting because the season-end result is predictable. If there is too little separation fans may be uninterested because the regular season result appears to be simply luck based. The MLB offices have made strides to increase competitive balance by implementing a revenue sharing system and by adding additional playoff spots. The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of competitive balance in baseball on league wide attendance. Previous papers …

The Ecological And Economic Value Of Maine Golf Courses, Gregory Ladd, Jason Buco

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

What is the housing premium and induced impacts of tourism attributed from Maine Golf Course?