Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 42

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Impacts Of Exercising With External Versus Internal Motives On College Students' Mental Health, Jillian Ulicki Apr 2023

The Impacts Of Exercising With External Versus Internal Motives On College Students' Mental Health, Jillian Ulicki

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

This study sets out to determine the impacts of exercising with different motives, specifically external appearance versus internal health, on college students' mental health. The study will also analyze the mental health effects of following fitness-related influencers and content on social media on college-aged students, in addition to the differences in mental health among male and female students in relation to exercise motivators and social media consumption. A survey will be utilized to collect data from undergraduate college-aged students. The goal of this study is to better understand whether certain motives for exercising are healthier for college students' mental health …


Is Tai Chi A Beneficial Treatment For Anxiety In The Elderly Community?, Carolyn Kenney May 2022

Is Tai Chi A Beneficial Treatment For Anxiety In The Elderly Community?, Carolyn Kenney

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

This study attempted to explore the relationship between tai chi practice and anxiety in the elderly population. The mental health disorder that I looked at was anxiety, as the elderly often experience anxiety related to contributing factors such as mental and physical decline. Anxiety among the elderly is a great concern as there is an increase in the world’s population of individuals aged 65 years or older. This will directly impact health care prices as more resources will have to be distributed to this age population. One solution to this problem is tai chi. Tai chi is a cost-effective way …


We Are More Than Just Spectators: Feminist Psychology Theory Applied To Sports Psychology, Victoria Wypych Apr 2022

We Are More Than Just Spectators: Feminist Psychology Theory Applied To Sports Psychology, Victoria Wypych

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

This study looks into the differences between females and male athletics. Since the creation of Title IV, equality in sports has developed more; but there is still not an even platform. Due to the 2021 NCAA basketball tournaments, it has become more evident that more work needs to be done to reach equality in the sports world. This study is going to compare the different levels of support in athletics of males and females via a survey questionnaire of athletes. A manipulative scenario will also be sent out regarding scenarios of male and female sports. This portion of the survey …


Internships: Does Length Of Time Impact Student Confidence In Key Skills?, Hayley Bobok Apr 2021

Internships: Does Length Of Time Impact Student Confidence In Key Skills?, Hayley Bobok

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this thesis is to determine if length of time spent on an internship has an impact on student’s confidence levels in information systems proficiency, interpersonal communication, and self-efficacy in the workplace. Applying for and selecting an internship can be a challenging process for college students and understanding from this study if the number of weeks or hours has an impact on learning is designed to make that process easier. This study was conducted through a thorough research analysis of the current literature related to internships and their impacts on a student’s education. A survey was then distributed …


Analysis Of Concussion Experiences And Awareness In College Athletics At Bryant And Beyond, Juliana Cappola Apr 2021

Analysis Of Concussion Experiences And Awareness In College Athletics At Bryant And Beyond, Juliana Cappola

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this thesis is to examine concussion experiences, awareness and education through a literature review and study of Bryant students. The study assessed concussion awareness and experiences through a questionnaire sent out to club and division 1 athletes at Bryant through email and social media channels. The study yielded 98 responses, but after filtering out responses with insufficient information 62 usable responses remained. These responses consisted of 62% female and 34% male athletes on 13 different teams. Of the 62 participants, 34 (roughly half) reported being diagnosed with a concussion in their lifetime, and 18 athletes reported having …


Receptors And Channels Associated With Alcohol Use: Contributions From Drosophila, Kristin M. Scaplen, Emily Petruccelli Mar 2021

Receptors And Channels Associated With Alcohol Use: Contributions From Drosophila, Kristin M. Scaplen, Emily Petruccelli

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a debilitating disorder that manifests as problematic patterns of alcohol use. At the core of AUD’s behavioral manifestations are the profound structural, physiological, cellular, and molecular effects of alcohol on the brain. While the field has made considerable progress in understanding the neuromolecular targets of alcohol we still lack a comprehensive understanding of alcohol’s actions and effective treatment strategies. Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model for investigating the neuromolecular targets of alcohol because flies model many of the core behavioral elements of AUD and offer a rich genetic toolkit to precisely reveal the in vivo …


Child Life Specialists’ Evaluation Of Hospital Playroom Design: A Mixed Method Inquiry, Nanci Weinberger, Allison Butler, Beth Mcgee, Phyllis A. Schumacher, Ryan Linn Brown Feb 2021

Child Life Specialists’ Evaluation Of Hospital Playroom Design: A Mixed Method Inquiry, Nanci Weinberger, Allison Butler, Beth Mcgee, Phyllis A. Schumacher, Ryan Linn Brown

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

This study uses the expertise of child life specialists to identify which elements support child life goals for hospitalized children. This study can be used to inform those interested in the optimal design of hospital playrooms. Ninety child life specialists were surveyed using a photograph methodology showing five actual child life playrooms from different hospitals. The participants were asked the following: rate each playroom on 14 dimensions; describe what was liked best about each playroom; and finally, rank order the playrooms based on their ability to support child life goals. Findings show that child life specialists were able to detect …


Impacts Of A Serial Killer: Looking At The Case Of Ted Bundy Then And Now, Natalie Terranova May 2020

Impacts Of A Serial Killer: Looking At The Case Of Ted Bundy Then And Now, Natalie Terranova

Honors Projects in History and Social Sciences

The famous trial of serial killer Ted Bundy has been portrayed throughout the years since it took place in the late-1970s. This famous serial killer has regained popularity, spurred by our curiosity and fascination with serial killers today versus the shocking truth about serial murder it instilled in people back in the 70s. By looking into the case of Ted Bundy in detail, this paper provides a greater understanding of why his case took the world by storm and how it impacted society at the time. Through a traditional research thesis, it was my goal to analyze the effects the …


The Psychological Implications Of Lyme Disease, Joseph Trunzo Jun 2019

The Psychological Implications Of Lyme Disease, Joseph Trunzo

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.


Gender Discrepancy In The Weight Room, Colby Norris Apr 2019

Gender Discrepancy In The Weight Room, Colby Norris

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

This paper proposed that despite the benefits of weightlifting, especially for women, that an uneven gender divide still exists in the weight room. It was also proposed that the masculine culture of the gym deters women from lifting. It was found through an observational study that there were four times more men than women in the weights areas of gyms. It was also found that women are more uncomfortable than men when their physique is being examined and that lifting women identify more strongly with traditionally "masculine" personality terms than non-lifting women do. Women cite a lack of knowledge, a …


Why Trust Out-Groups? The Role Of Punishment Under Uncertainty, Xiaofei Pan, Daniel Houser Dec 2018

Why Trust Out-Groups? The Role Of Punishment Under Uncertainty, Xiaofei Pan, Daniel Houser

Economics Faculty Journal Articles

We conducted a hidden-effort trust game, in which we assigned subjects to one of two groups. The groups, which were formed through two different group formation processes, included a “social” group that required sharing and exchange among its members, and a “non-social” group that did not. Once assigned, subjects participated in the game with members from both groups, either with or without the opportunity to punish a trustee who may have defected on them. We found that for investors in the non-social group, the opportunity to punish a trustee worked to promote trust, but only when the trustee was a …


Political Polarization And Intolerance Of Intolerance, Nina Luiggi Apr 2018

Political Polarization And Intolerance Of Intolerance, Nina Luiggi

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

Scholarly research linking conservatism to intolerance is widespread (McAdams et al, 2008; Jost et al, 2003): however, relatively little attention is paid to the impact of intolerance on the liberal side. Nevertheless, mounting empirical research and popular journalism suggests that intolerance works both ways, but that liberals are not aware of their own intolerance. Building on survey methodology used by Crawford and Pilanski (2014), the present study uses a scale of ideological consistency, intolerance judgments across a range of issues, and perceived intolerance, to explore both the intolerance levels and perceived intolerance levels of liberals and conservatives, as well as …


Under The Influence, Leonardo Cavicchio Apr 2018

Under The Influence, Leonardo Cavicchio

Honors Projects in Mathematics

The purpose of this Honors Capstone entitled Under the Influence is to assess the validity of claims concerning the possible influence of roommates on one another, concerning alcohol on college campuses. This will be done by examining data collected in a prior study conducted over a two-year period. This analysis will focus on how alcohol consumption changes in correlation with the personality factors of roommates over an extended period of time. This secondary analysis of de-identified data will focus on primary and secondary subquestions. The primary question that will be addressed with the data set collected from the University of …


Division I Female Student Athletes’ Self-Image Perceptions And The Association With Photo Centric Social Media Platforms, Logan Paul Apr 2018

Division I Female Student Athletes’ Self-Image Perceptions And The Association With Photo Centric Social Media Platforms, Logan Paul

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this study is to describe self-image (body image) perceptions of female, Division I student athletes and discover how photo centric social media platforms and the frequency of their use may shape these perceptions. Body image is a complex phenomenon influenced by many factors including peers, parents, coaches, and social constructs. In the general population, data has shown that media messages play a powerful role in shaping perceived self-image and body satisfaction. Body image may not match the actual body and the athlete may strive more often to achieve a body ideal. It is hypothesized that female athletes …


A Quantitative Content Analysis On Food-Based Advergames Aimed At Children, Emiko Barker Apr 2017

A Quantitative Content Analysis On Food-Based Advergames Aimed At Children, Emiko Barker

Honors Projects in Communication

No abstract provided.


Five Seconds To The Ad: How Program-Induced Mood Affects Ad Countdown Effects, Tiffany Venmahavong Apr 2017

Five Seconds To The Ad: How Program-Induced Mood Affects Ad Countdown Effects, Tiffany Venmahavong

Honors Projects in Marketing

The study examines what effects a five second countdown warning will have on consumer’s attitudes towards the advertisement depending on the main program content. This study builds upon several theoretical models concerning program-induced moods in relation to viewer’s judgment to commercial advertisements. Findings from two studies suggest that program-induced mood systematically influences attitude toward the inserted ad with (vs. without) a five-second countdown: for the negative-affect program, attitude toward the ad was more positive when the ad was preceded by the countdown than when the ad was not preceded by the countdown. However, for the positive-affect program, attitude toward the …


Write What You Know: The Process Of Writing A Young Adult Novella, Grace Morgan Apr 2017

Write What You Know: The Process Of Writing A Young Adult Novella, Grace Morgan

Honors Projects in English and Cultural Studies

One tragedy, two lives changed forever. This novella follows the paths of two characters coping with the death of loved ones. It examines the themes of grief, friendship, family, self-discovery and inner strength. Specifically, how these things manifest and change after experiencing extreme loss. The dual narrative compares and contrasts the varying ways people react to grief. This project on creative writing followed the writing process from brainstorming to final draft.


Consumer Purchasing: When Does Corporate Social Responsibility Matter?, Abigail Blecker May 2016

Consumer Purchasing: When Does Corporate Social Responsibility Matter?, Abigail Blecker

Honors Projects in Marketing

Almost all companies engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, and often times consumers are unaware of this. As societal pressures on companies and organizations to be more responsible increases, so have the practices companies have undertaken. My research will examine the potential impact a company’s CSR information and practices have on a consumer’s purchasing intentions. It will answer the following two questions: Does CSR information have the ability to change a person’s purchase intentions in high and low involvement purchasing scenarios? Will a person’s individual level of social responsibility cause differences in purchase intentions among different purchasing scenarios? Exposure …


Green Advertising And Millennials, Stephanie Davidson Apr 2016

Green Advertising And Millennials, Stephanie Davidson

Honors Projects in Marketing

This study investigates the responsiveness of Millennials to green versus non-green framed automobile print ads. A 2x2 factorial design was used in which specific advertising frames were manipulated to measure ad attitudes, purchase intentions, and skepticism for a high involvement product (i.e., an automobile). Results showed that highly-environmentally-concerned participants have more positive ad attitudes and greater purchase intentions after viewing a green ad than after viewing a non-green ad. These differences were not evident however for participants who exhibited low-environmental-concern. The results also showed that participants who are more environmentally concerned are less skeptical about green ads than those who …


Greek Life: Perceptions On Campus And In The Workplace, Elena Freedman Apr 2016

Greek Life: Perceptions On Campus And In The Workplace, Elena Freedman

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this study was to determine perceptions of Greek students by four specific groups of people: undergraduate Greek students, undergraduate students who are not members of Greek organizations, Greek alumni, and hiring personnel. In addition, hiring professionals’ opinions and perceptions of Greek students were further explored to determine whether membership in a Greek organization is seen as an asset or a liability in the workforce. Attained or expected skills as a result of membership in a Greek organization were also elicited from Greek students, Greek alumni, and hiring personnel. Data analysis of stereotype responses showed that Greek students …


Effects Of Self-Monitoring And Social Support On Exercise Adherence, Dominic Cauteruccio Apr 2016

Effects Of Self-Monitoring And Social Support On Exercise Adherence, Dominic Cauteruccio

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this study was to look at the effects of self-monitoring and social support on minutes of exercise per week. Specifically, self-monitoring examined whether self-monitoring and self-monitoring in combination with social support would increase minutes of exercise over a four week period. The study was four weeks long, with participants randomly assigned into three groups: a control group (group 1), a self-monitoring group (group 2), and a self-monitoring plus social support group (group 3). Exercise time was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and social support was measured using the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (ISSB). …


Type D Personality And Injury Relationship In Collegiate Track Athletes, Annmarie Tuxbury Apr 2016

Type D Personality And Injury Relationship In Collegiate Track Athletes, Annmarie Tuxbury

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this study was to examine Type D personality as an internal factor for injury risk in collegiate track athletes. A survey was administered to 275 track athletes across each of the three NCAA divisions. The survey included general questions about injury history, which included demographic type questions. A Type D Personality Inventory assessment was administered which measured negative affectivity and social inhibition (Blum, 2009). Additionally, the survey included a version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), measuring an athlete’s evaluation of situations that invokes a stress response (Cohen et al, 1983). Lastly, the survey included the Athletic …


Welcome Back! Helping Young Children Return To Your Program After Hospitalization, Nanci Weinberger Oct 2015

Welcome Back! Helping Young Children Return To Your Program After Hospitalization, Nanci Weinberger

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

Every week I’m lucky enough to spend a couple of hours reading to hospitalized children. Sometimes I also get to be with other formerly hospitalized children as a camp volunteer. In spite of their incredibly varied experiences, one thing stands out: kids will be kids! This can mean many things, but to me as a volunteer—who just happens to be a developmental psychologist—it means that young children want to feel safe, want to explore their world, and want to have fun.


The Use Of Exemplars In Audio-Based Media To Increase Behavioral Intent In Adopting Preventive Skin-Cancer Behaviors, Christine M. Lemme May 2015

The Use Of Exemplars In Audio-Based Media To Increase Behavioral Intent In Adopting Preventive Skin-Cancer Behaviors, Christine M. Lemme

Master of Arts in Communication

Skin cancer is a growing concern in the young-adult population due to the popularity of indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanning and the acceptance of numerous myths that skin cancer is not a major health concern. This thesis aims to look at the use of media exemplar perceived to be similar and credible to the target population in order to persuade the target population to adopt preventative skin-cancer behaviors. College students of both genders and various ethnicities (N = 170) were surveyed after listening to different radio exemplars on skin cancer. Results indicated that similarity and credibility play a key role in …


The Influence Of Instagram On Exercise And Eating Behavior, Bridgette Kosek Apr 2015

The Influence Of Instagram On Exercise And Eating Behavior, Bridgette Kosek

Honors Projects in Marketing

The use of social media, specifically Instagram, of 305 Bryant University students ages 18-28 was investigated through student completion of an online survey to examine how following exercise and food related Instagram accounts impacts behavior. Both male and females use Instagram fairly equally, though males are more responsive to food Instagram accounts than females, who have no significant difference in behavior. Both males and females who follow exercise Instagram accounts are significantly more active than those who do not follow exercise Instagram accounts. Given the recent explosive use of Instagram in the population, the implications for this study are enormous, …


Effects Of Online Sponsored Advertising On Consumer Attitudes, Cassidy Maksy Apr 2015

Effects Of Online Sponsored Advertising On Consumer Attitudes, Cassidy Maksy

Honors Projects in Marketing

Effectively utilizing persuasion techniques in advertising is essential for businesses to master in order to stay ahead of its competitors. This research project investigates the ways in which marketers advertise brands and products in the online environment, specifically on the social networking sites Twitter and Facebook. More specifically, the implementation of different techniques and credibility of sources will be examined to help gauge the effectiveness of advertisements. By utilizing the constructs of the Persuasion Knowledge Model and source credibility, the attitudes toward brands and advertisements within the online environment was tested. The goal of this research is to evaluate the …


Possible Bias In Asset Valuations: An Application Of The Fraud Risk Triangle To Divorce Cases, Jennifer Tomasetti Apr 2015

Possible Bias In Asset Valuations: An Application Of The Fraud Risk Triangle To Divorce Cases, Jennifer Tomasetti

Honors Projects in Accounting

No abstract provided.


The Ultimate Love-Hate Relationship: Examining Sport Commitment In Collegiate Track & Field Athletes, Kara Walsh Apr 2015

The Ultimate Love-Hate Relationship: Examining Sport Commitment In Collegiate Track & Field Athletes, Kara Walsh

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this study was to examine sport commitment among collegiate track and field athletes in order to determine what factors influence continued participation throughout an entire college career. A survey was administered to 431 track and field athletes across each of the three NCAA divisions. The survey included a modified version of the Athletes’ Opinion Survey based on the Sport Commitment Model (Scanlan et al., 1993), which measures the relationship between sport commitment, sport enjoyment, personal investments, social constraints, social support, involvement alternatives and involvement opportunities. Additionally, the survey included a modified version of the Exercise Commitment Scale …


Multidimensional Resilience In Honors Students At Bryant University, Haley Nicol Apr 2015

Multidimensional Resilience In Honors Students At Bryant University, Haley Nicol

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

College level honors programs are continuously working towards improvement of their programs and working towards improving the college experience for their students. Apart from recognition and developing a positive reputation for the university, the goals for these selective academic programs include better serving their students from both academic and professional perspectives, as well encouraging and increasing program completion retention rates. There are various ways of testing students to assess their mindset and personal drive as well as gauge the possibility of students graduating with successful completion of their Capstone project or thesis in their senior year. To better understand how …


Financial Literacy And College Students: An Exploration Of College Students’ Attitudes, Behaviors, Influences And Preparedness For Financial Decisions After Graduation, Kerry Quirk Apr 2015

Financial Literacy And College Students: An Exploration Of College Students’ Attitudes, Behaviors, Influences And Preparedness For Financial Decisions After Graduation, Kerry Quirk

Honors Projects in Finance

Financial literacy is the level of understanding an individual has for different financial topics, including but not limited to, investment vehicles, retirement accounts, saving, budgeting, credit and taxes, and the use of such knowledge to change one’s financial behavior to create a more positive financial position for the future. Past research has shown that college students consistently have low levels of financial literacy. They also lack knowledgeable influences on their financial education. Because many college students will soon enter the workforce after graduation and will be responsible for managing their own salary, retirement accounts and investment options, they can be …