Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Understanding College Aged Men And Eating Disorders, Katie Pierskalla

Psychology Student Publications

Eating disorders, sexual assault, and the stigma of speaking about and using resources related to mental health occur in college aged men. There are present correlations between these struggles and ways to acknowledge these patterns in order to better serve men's mental health.

Predictive Looking And Predictive Looking Errors In Everyday Activities, Sophie Su

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

People spontaneously segment continuous streams of experiences into distinct episodes. Prediction errors are theorized to drive segmentation. However, existing studies exploring the relationship between prediction error and event segmentation lack a continuous measure of prediction error during naturalistic perception and often fail to distinguish between prediction error and prediction uncertainty. Do moment-by-moment fluctuation of prediction errors, not prediction uncertainty during naturalistic event perception correlate positively with segmentation probabilities? To tackle this question, we harnessed the predictive nature of eye movements and introduced a predictive looking model. In this model, individuals’ prior gaze patterns act as predictors for critical features in …

Emotions And Achievements: How To Be Your Most Successful Self, Mackenzie Amerman

Psychology Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Auditory Hallucinations, Gavin Eback

Psychology Student Publications

This is a paper providing basic information on the event of Auditory Hallucinations in a casual format. It provides information about possible causes and how auditory hallucinations function

Stress And Anxiety In College Students, Meaghan Macho

Psychology Student Publications

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Stress On Human Behavior, Ethan Johnson

Psychology Student Publications

This paper evaluates what stress is, and the effect of stress on decision-making and relationships. This study evaluates how stress is relevant in college students.

Face Of Terror In Gaza: Hamas’ Birth, Evolution And A Nuanced Rethink, Debangana Chatterjee

Popular Media

Excerpt:

While discussing Hamas now, with terrorism and the ongoing siege of the Gaza Strip by Israel as the backdrop, we must consider the backstory of politics and international relations. And that the growth of Hamas had a lot to do with its isolation as the ruling authority in Gaza. Isolation, which handed it unaccountable access to resources that came its way.

Improving Disability Inclusion Through Professional Development, Carli Spina

Urban Library Journal

Building a shared understanding of the importance of disability inclusion and the concrete steps everyone at the library can take towards this goal, is an important first step towards improving services for disabled patrons and the work environment for disabled employees. Offering training on these specific topics can jumpstart this activity at virtually any library. Guided by existing research in the field, this article offers concrete guidance on creating and offering this training at libraries to improve disability inclusion in the community.

The Unheard Voices Of The Arkansas Delta: Living Through School Desegregation, Tameka D. Williams

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

This study was guided by the central research question: What are the lived experiences and perceptions of former African American teachers and students that endured segregation, desegregation, and integration in Arkansas' Delta? The phenomenological study used eight former African American teachers and student participants. Of the participants, there were four former teachers and four former students. In this study, the participants' voices are captured as they share their experiences and perception of each phase of education that influenced their lives and left an everlasting imprint. Through counternarratives, the participants provided insight into education in the Arkansas Delta during school segregation, …

Exploring Lgbt Experiences With Family Planning And Reproductive Health, Isabella Lafratta

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The purpose of this research is to investigate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) healthcare experiences, specifically in relation to family planning and fertility counseling. Sixteen qualitative, individual interviews were completed with participants recruited from LGBT communities on campus, as well as personal contacts and the snowball effect. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021), and major themes and subthemes were identified. The first overall theme was Uneasiness and Fear which captures the subtheme: Dysphoria Inducement. The second overarching theme, Lack of Focus on Individualized Needs, had the subthemes of Reproductive Care and Transgender Reproductive Care. This describes …

Hating The Haters: Media, Polarisation And Class Conflict’ Media, Emotion, Society And Security Lightning Talks In Response To Dublin Riots, Edward Brennan

Conference Papers

This 5-minute ‘lightning talk’ considered public and media responses to the Dublin riots of 2023, highlighting how hatred towards far-right agitators and rioters permeated not only social media discourse but also broadsheet journalism and government statements. Using Fintan O’Toole’s commentary as a key example, Brennan critiques the moral framing that legitimises hatred against “the haters,” suggesting it mirrors a pre-democratic cultural logic wherein ideas are seen as autonomous, malevolent forces shaping society. This ‘secular superstition’ constitutes an anti-sociology that erases economic and class contexts, replacing them with aesthetic politics rooted in identity, branding and lifestyle logics. The paper warns that …

An Assessment Of Sentencing Disparities By Race In The State Of Arkansas, Viola Schaeffer

Theses and Dissertations

Past research has found that there are often disparities in sentencing outcomes due to extralegal factors such as race, gender, age, socioeconomic status, education level, and geographic location. The most prominent and widely studied of these factors, however, is race. Specifically, studies have shown that minority offenders (e.g., African Americans) were more likely to receive a lengthier sentence than their White peers. The purpose of this thesis is thus to examine if there is racial bias in sentences levied to violent offenders in Arkansas. This is be done by analyzing sentencing data from the Arkansas Office of the Courts between …

Bipartisan Legislation In Supermajority State Legislatures, Ashley R. Gustafson

Honors Thesis

We ask how partisan (im)balance affects the prevalence of bipartisan legislation in U.S. state legislative bodies. We conducted a quantitative analysis of all fifty state legislative bodies over five years, 2017 to 2022, examining both institutional and individual action. We analyze minority member behavior differences between supermajority and veto-proof legislative bodies as compared to simple majority legislatures. Our work shows that minority party legislators in Democrat supermajority state legislative bodies are more likely to sponsor bipartisan legislation, and the amount of bipartisan legislation sponsored overall in a state legislature is likely to decrease in Republican supermajority state legislative bodies. This …

Occupational And Environmental Factors Influencing Morale Of United States Federal Wildland Firefighters, Rachel M. Granberg, Ting Shen, Seth W. Pearson, Robin M. Verble

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Background. Wildland firefighters have physically and psychologically demanding jobs that can result in social, economic and health-related stress. Previous studies have examined the physiological and physical effects of a career in wildland fire, but fewer studies have addressed psychological effects, and to date, none have directly analyzed the hiring and work experiences of wildland firefighters. Aims. We surveyed work experiences, health and well-being, and morale of wildland firefighters, explored factors that can improve recruitment and retention, and summarized broad patterns. Methods. We conducted a voluntary anonymous survey of 708 federal wildland firefighters via an online platform over 2 months in …

Musical Chills: The Effect Of Age And Musical Ability, Isabella Aceituno, Erin Hannon, Solena Mednicoff

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Musical chills mark a peak emotional response to music, characterized by goosebumps, tingling sensations down the back, and raised hair on the skin. Previous research has connected musical chills to changes in music such as crescendos, the entrance of new voices or instruments, unexpected harmonies, or changes in acoustic features. Knowledge of musical structures, such as key and harmony, develop from infancy to adulthood. If children’s musical expectations change with age, so too might their emotional musical experiences.

Assessing The Association Between Experiential Avoidance, Resilience, And Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms, Victoria G. Latayan

Honors Capstones

Resilience is a specific skill that can be fostered over time which, when mastered in greater amounts, allows individuals to more readily cope with interpersonal conflict and stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which experiential avoidance of distressing stimuli and trait resilience predict Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms. To test this, participants were instructed to complete self-report questionnaires that assessed experiential avoidance and resilience. Each participant also completed the PTSD checklist for DSM-5. The results of the study showed that while trait resilience did not significantly predict Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS), experiential avoidance and …

Once Upon A Time, Again: Exploring The Function Of Fairy Tale Retellings, Mackenzie A. Parsons

Theses and Dissertations

With the invention of the printing press, fairy tales became limited by the idea of an "original" (Pettitt, 2009; Blamires, 2003). However, in the past century, the retelling and changing of fairy tales has become incredibly popular in all forms of media, such as print, film, ballet, musicals, etc. Despite Western populations' familiarity with these tales, the demand for such retellings continues to rise, with the storytellers finding great financial success with each "new" version they provide. Researchers have many varying opinions on the reasons for such intense responses to retold fairy tales, but there is a gap of research …

"Social" Movements: A Trend Analysis Of The Role Of Social Media In Social Movements, Courtney Nelson Stubbs

Theses and Dissertations

The gay rights movement has been very active on social media throughout the years. Using a trend analysis this study aimed to answer how social media is being used during a social movement, how a social movement evolves on social media, and how social media is being used by organizations as a public relations strategy to create change in social movements. Overall, the findings revealed 11 different ways social media is being used during a social movement, which shows how important opinion leaders are in helping a social movement gain traction and create the desired impact.

Qualities Of A School Counselor And Principal Partnership That Foster Student Learning And School Culture: A Qualitative, Eef Ji Fontanez

Online Theses and Dissertations

The close partnership between school counselors and principals suggested that their work together can influence student learning and school culture. Their roles, while different in nature, could be conducive to collaborating in an effective manner to help achieve their respective goals and the objectives of their employment responsibilities. Ideally, principals should fully understand the role of school counselors and allow them to implement a comprehensive counseling plan to increase student learning, reduce discipline issues, promote attendance, and positively impacts school culture. According to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), outlined the role of a professional school counselor to incorporate the …

Stress-Related Biosocial Mechanisms Of Discrimination And African American Health Inequities, Bridget J. Goosby, Jacob E. Cheadle, Colter Mitchell

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This review describes stress-related biological mechanisms linking interpersonal racism to life course health trajectories among African Americans. Interpersonal racism, a form of social exclusion enacted via discrimination, remains a salient issue in the lives of African Americans, and it triggers a cascade of biological processes originating as perceived social exclusion and registering as social pain. Exposure to discrimination increases sympathetic nervous system activation and upregulates the HPA axis, increasing physiological wear and tear and elevating the risks of cardiometabolic conditions. Consequently, discrimination is associated with morbidities including low birth weight, hypertension, abdominal obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Biological measures can provide …

Synthesis Of Novel Disulfide Triazole Organophosphate Containing Fire Retardants, Parsa Asaei, Jun Yong Kang

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Fire Retardants (FR) play a pivotal role in reducing smoke plume generation in wildland fires, which coincides with one of NSF EPSCoR’s HDRFS project objectives: investigating smoke plume dynamics. With the San Antonio Statement from 2010 banning halogenated FRs, there has been a push in research towards safer and better alternatives. The synthesis of a novel disulfide triazole organophosphate fire retardant (DSTP) would aid in NSF EPSCoR’s HDRFS research as a greener and better alternative. Therefore, our research aimed to i) develop a novel FR that harnesses the synergistic effects of phosphate-, disulfide-, and triazole-functionality that can be applied to …

Reminders Of Reconsolidation: Prediction Error Vs. Spatial Context, Mateo Marquez, Jessica Nguyen, Augustine Alvarado

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Reconsolidation is the process whereby reactivating a consolidated memory can bring it into a labile state where it can be strengthened, weakened, or updated. Spatial context and prediction error (PE) are two ways that memories can be reactivated. Spatial context refers to being in the same-environmental setting during encoding and retrieval, whereas PE refers to the mismatch between expected and observed events. Both methods have successfully reactivated consolidated memories. However, it is unclear whether reconsolidation is affected by PE when it isolated in different spaces.

The Role Of Prediction Error In Episodic Memory, Natalie Chisam, Natalie Hsiao

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Prediction Error and Memory: Memory encoding and retention is influenced by prediction errors (PE), which occur when observed events deviate from expectations. Predictive Based Theories: Several theories have been proposed to predict how PE influences memory.

State Government: A Comparison Of Bicameral, Biennial, Citizen Legislatures, Zachary J. Johnigan

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Governing agencies can be classified as either federal, state, or local. The Nevada Legislature is a state level governing body that provides governance for the state of Nevada. A large part of the process of governing the state takes place during a regular legislative session, where new laws are heard then passed or denied and old laws are revised or abolished. One regular legislative session consists of 120 calendar days. In the event that not all business was able to be conducted within a regular session, the governor of the state can call for a special session to be opened. …

Listener’S Judgement Of Tempo Is Influenced By Dance Speed, Carolina A. Herrera, Ryan K. Perez, Jared W. Leslie, Erin E. Hannon

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

The tempo of a musical composition is typically denoted by the number of beats per minute (BPM). Nevertheless, perception of tempo is inherently subjective, and it can be shaped by the listener's familiarity with both musical and dance elements [1, 2, 3, 4]. Even when songs have the same BPM, the perceived speed of the songs can differ based on the specific dance form and cultural context [1, 4]

Misophonia, Asmr, And Frisson Experience Predicted By Age, But Not Gender, Kaela Omengan, Bryanna Grijalva, Natalya Sayegh, Carlos Tamayo, David Vollweiler, Solena Mednicoff, Erin Hannon

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Misophonia: A disorder that shows low tolerance for specific sounds, often yielding reactions like anger and stress. Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): An affective sensation which elicits positive physiological responses. Musical frisson: Emotional response to music characterized by goosebumps, tingling sensations, or raised hair on the skin. Previous Literature: Potential links between misophonia, ASMR, and frisson; Higher emotional sensitivity in females.

Perceptual Learning Of Infants Across Domains, Melanie Garcia, Carolina A. Herrera, Ryan K. Perez, Rodica R. Constantine, Erin E. Hannon

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Infancy is a unique developmental period in which there is rapid attunement of perceptual systems to specific environmental properties. Perceptual narrowing: By the end of the first year, infants become adept processors and develop expertise of familiar socially meaningful domains such as faces, language, and music leading to subsequent social and cognitive abilities. The mechanisms driving these perceptual changes remain debated, with contrasting accounts proposing experience-dependent or domain-general influences. Objective: This research aims to investigate whether perceptual narrowing in early development is primarily driven by domain-specific experiences or by domain-general factors such as brain maturation and information processing.

Do Age, Musical Training, And Multilingualism Contribute To Misophonia, Asmr, And Frisson Experiences?, Riley Ramos, Kayla Daugherty, Haley Yanez, Joseph Altamirano, David Vollweiler, Solena Mednicoff, Erin Hannon

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Misophonia: intense negative reactions to sounds such as chewing or pen clicking. Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): positive tingling sensation to triggering auditory and visual stimuli. Frisson: Positive response (chills, teary eyes) to music or other emotionally charged experiences.

Pedestrian-Friendly Streets: Assessing Overall Success On Well-Being With Post-Evaluations, Ariana Ordoñez

Student Works

Today, well-being has taken a central role in urban planning, emphasizing the significance of pedestrian-friendly streets for the overall welfare of a city's residents. Pedestrian-friendly streets are vital elements of urban design that enhance mobility and contribute significantly to people's quality of life. This study examines the impact of pedestrian-friendly streets on the well-being of individuals through a post-evaluation approach. The research focuses on two projects: the 12 Avenue South project, completed in April 2022, and the Madison Station Boulevard project, completed in August 2022. The study uses a well-being questionnaire encompassing physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains by conducting …

Effects Of Independent Versus Dependent Stressful Life Events On Major Symptom Domains Of Schizophrenia, Yizhou Ma, Joshua Chiappelli, Mark D Kvarta, Heather Bruce, Andrew Van Der Vaart, Eric L Goldwaser, Xiaoming Du, Hemalatha Sampath, Samantha Lightner, Jane Endres, Akram Yusuf, Alexa Yuen, Samantha Narvaez, Danny Campos-Saravia, Peter Kochunov, L Elliot Hong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We evaluated two models to link stressful life events (SLEs) with the psychopathology of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). We separated SLEs into independent (iSLEs, unlikely influenced by one's behavior) and dependent (dSLEs, likely influenced by one's behavior). Stress-diathesis and stress generation models were evaluated for the relationship between total, i- and d- SLEs and the severity of positive, negative, and depressive symptoms in participants with SSD. Participants with SSD (n = 286; 196 males; age = 37.5 ± 13.5 years) and community controls (n = 121; 83 males; 35.4 ± 13.9 years) completed self-report of lifetime negative total, i- and …