The 17th Annual
NC State
University
Undergraduate Research Symposium
Humanities,
Social Sciences, Psychology
Abstracts
Abstracts are listed in alphabetical
order by the last name of the corresponding author.
- Biological Sciences
abstracts
Applied Sciences (Crop, Poultry, Animal, and Horticultural Sciences)
Ecology,
Environmental, Conservation, Botanical
Molecular,
Biochemical, Genetics, Cell Biology
Zoology,
Physiology, Behavior, Neurobiology
- Design
abstracts
- Engineering
and Technology abstracts
- Physical
and Mathematical Sciences abstracts
|
Anderson,
Natalee R. |
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Department(s): |
Anthropology |
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Research |
D. Troy Case/Sociology and
Anthropology |
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Title of Presentation: |
An Analysis of Burned Teeth from the
Turner Site in Southwestern Ohio |
The Hopewell Indians are a prehistoric Native American group
that thrived in Ohio and neighboring states during the Middle Woodland Period
(100 BC to AD 350). They represent the
most complex society up to that point within what is now the US and Canada, and
are known primarily from their ritual centers—large earthen mounds, often
enclosed by enormous earthworks formed into geometric shapes. Previous analysis of archaeological remains
from Hopewell sites have suggested that the Hopewell Indians were organized
into clans represented by certain animal species. The “power parts” of these animals, including
claws, jaws, and teeth, were symbols of clan leadership. Because these power parts represent different
clans, it is possible to determine which clans were present in the different
Ohio Hopewell subcultures by identifying the species associated with the power
parts at ceremonial sites. This study of
faunal remains from the Ohio Hopewell site of Turner was undertaken to identify
some of the clans that may have existed in the southwestern region of
Ohio. Turner is the largest ceremonial
site in the region and contains the greatest number of power parts. At Turner, the majority of teeth were canines
that had been perforated, probably for use as necklaces or pendants. Unfortunately, most of the teeth were also heavily
burned, making identifications difficult.
Teeth from raccoon, badger, bear, bobcat, and shark were identified
among the Turner archaeological materials.
There was also evidence of teeth from other marine species, though
specifics could not be determined. Snail shells were also present, ground to a
flat surface, and most likely used as beads.
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Anselm,
Amelia S. |
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Department(s): |
English |
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Research |
Susan M. Katz/English |
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Title of Presentation: |
Style Guides as Living Documents |
Examining the most efficient and effective techniques for
creation, formatting, and implementation of written style guides. Using three stages of research—general,
specific, and comparative—this project evaluated existing and experimental
formats for style guide creation and use. General research consisted of the
consultation of published reference material, and specific research included
the creation of a comprehensive and working style guide for the NC State
University Engineering Communications Department to serve as a case study for
the creation, implementation, and evolution of successful guides. Comparative
research included the compilation of experience, testimonies, and documents
from a global technology corporation and a college daily newspaper regarding
the creation, deployment, daily use and effectiveness of their existing style
guides. The end result is a
publication-oriented list of suggestions and best practices for the creation
and use of style guides. The main points are as follows: Begin a style guide
intended for electronic use, view the “product” as an ongoing process, and
eventually put that process on the simplest, most accessible form of electronic
media available. It is more important to begin a style guide than to finish it,
and living documents have the capability to be as comprehensive as possible at
every moment they are accessed. This process of creation should question
existing style rules and guidelines, and should tailor the guide to its main
users—writers. Guides should serve as an introduction to the publication's
style for new writers, as well as a continual reference, and keeping a style
guide as a living document maintains continued consciousness of stylistic rules
and trends. In order to successfully launch and maintain this guide as a whole
but evolving project, publish in an electronic format and set specific
procedures for updates and additions.
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Baldner,
Conrad S. |
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Department(s): |
Psychology |
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Research |
Amy G. Halberstadt/Psychology |
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Title of Presentation: |
Collectivism and Culture: Measuring
behaviors in Parent-child Interactions |
The purpose of this study was to gather evidence
regarding how different cultures model collectivism in parent-child
interactions. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Lumbee Native Americans, as well
as African Americans families, are examples of collectivistic cultures. The
sample consisted of 50 Lumbee and 37 African-American parent-child dyads, who
were observed playing a board game that involved answering questions from
selected game cards. During the game, three cards that participants received
asked them to discuss when the other participant made them feel sad and feel
angry, and when they had a disagreement with the other participant. Transcripts
of the responses of both parents and children were coded for evidence of
collectivist thinking. Three models for measuring collectivism were used. The
first focused on collectivism as a measure of independent and interdependent
behaviors. The second was a modified version of a coding scheme, developed by
McPartland, Gumming, and Garretson (1961), and later revised by Hartley (1970),
which classified participants* statements based on their independent or
interdependent nature. The third model categorized responses as either having a
focus on interpersonal topics or on achievement. We hypothesized that both
Lumbee and African American participants would score similarly across all three
models of collectivism, and that both groups would score high on
interdependence across all models. Findings suggest that, whereas both groups
scored similarly, only the third model showed high scores. Limitations of this
study are included. Inclusion of European-American participants is forthcoming.
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Collins,
Logan R. |
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Department(s): |
Psychology |
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Research |
Rupert W. Nacoste/Psychology |
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Title of Presentation: |
Communal and Exchange Dynamics in
Mutuality Psychology |
Clark and Mills (1979) proposed a theory of exchange versus
communal relationships. An exchange relationship exists if one person gives the
other person a benefit and expects repayment in kind. A communal relationship
is one in which a person provides a benefit to the other person to fulfill a
need or to please the other person. Repayment would be inappropriate in a
communal relationship. For the present research, we created a relationship
development model in which dyads in mutuality could experience both a communal
and exchange rule. To investigate that models predictions about the influence
of exchange and communal dynamics, we created questions that described
exchange, communal behaviors. Two hundred participants were asked to rate how
likely it was for their partner to enact the given behavior. Participants were
randomly assigned to rate their best relationship, worst relationship, last
relationship or the relationship they would ultimately like to have. ANOVA
analyses indicated that judgments about the frequency of exchange-communal
behaviors were influenced by the relationship condition and influenced
participants’ satisfaction with the relationship.
|
Crain,
Rebecca L. |
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Department(s): |
Psychology |
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Research |
Mary Haskett/Psychology |
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Title of Presentation: |
Culturally Competent Counseling:
Relations between Hispanic and/or Latino Clients; Ratings of Counselors and
Satisfaction of Services |
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the
relationship between clients’ rating of their counselor’s level of cultural
competence and clients’ satisfaction with mental health services received. A
questionnaire combining items from the Cross-cultural Counseling Inventory
(LaFromboise, Coleman & Hernandez, 1991) and the Counselor Rating Form
(Barak & LaCrosse, 1976) was administered to 30 clients of a mental health
center for Hispanic clients. The questionnaire was divided into two sections,
the first measuring the client’s perception of the counselor’s level of
cultural competency and the second set of questions tailored to measure the
level of satisfaction with the services provided. The hypotheses are that the
higher the level of perceived cultural competency the higher the level of
client satisfaction will be, on the same token the higher the level of client
satisfaction the higher the level of perceived cultural competency. The
predicted results have implications both for measuring the effectiveness of
culturally competent interventions and for future research.
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Dobson,
Niccoya D. |
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Department(s): |
Communication |
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Research |
A. Celeste Farr/Communication |
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Title of Presentation: |
African Americans and Health
Conspiracy Theories: Implications for Health Seeking Behaviors |
Throughout history, some African Americans have believed
in conspiracy theories relative to various institutions such as health care
facilities, health care research organizations and government-run community
organizations. This study focuses on traditionally held, as defined by
scholars, health conspiracy theories.
These health related theories range from the belief that physicians use
African Americans as experiments for testing new drugs to the idea that the
government created AIDS to eradicate the African American population (Parsons,
Simmons, Shinhoster, & Kilburn, 1999). Some of these health beliefs were
attributed to fallout from the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. The origin of other beliefs is unknown. Along with being unclear about the origin of
some theories, scholars are unclear about the impact of conspiracy theories on
health seeking behaviors. The purpose of
this study is to examine the relationship between belief in health related
conspiracy theories and health seeking behaviors. A survey with items measuring personal health
seeking habits, belief in health related conspiracy theories, and knowledge of
the Tuskegee experiment was distributed in the Wake county area of North
Carolina. The response sets for the
items were multiple choice, short answer, or likert-type. Results were analyzed and implications for
future research were discussed.
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Ellefson,
Whitney M. |
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Department(s): |
Psychology Biological Sciences |
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Research |
Amy Halberstadt/Psychology |
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Title of Presentation: |
Is Emotion a Privilege of the Middle
Class? |
Today’s parenting guidance suggests that parents should
be discussing emotion with their children.
One reason for this is because emotion competence has been shown to be
valuable for the development of healthy relationships (Denham, 1997). The current study examined the relationship
between emotion discussion and socioeconomic status (SES). Parent-child dyads participated in an
interactive game and problem solving discussion in which they shared memories
and feelings. Emotion words were counted
by a Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program (Pennebaker, 2003). The number and type of emotion words were
examined with the following variables: perceived SES within the individuals
community, perceived SES within the USA, income and years of education of the
parent. Results do not support a
relationship between SES and emotion word usage. However, child and parent use of
emotion-related words was similar across each dyad within context. Also, parents, but not children, were
consistent in their emotion word usage across contexts. Although, SES was not related to how much
emotion-related discussion parents and children had, it might impact how
parents scaffold emotion-related discussions, or encourage their children to
think about emotions. Future research
might investigate process-related variables in parents; and children’s
emotion-related discussions.
|
Gallegos
Lerma, Manuel R. |
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Department(s): |
Sociology and Anthropology |
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Research |
Martha Crowley/Sociology and
Anthropology |
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Title of Presentation: |
New Immigrants in the Old Education
System |
Latino immigrants are increasingly drawn to the Midwest
and Southeast by employment opportunities in the low-wage sector. Because they are settling permanently in
these new destinations, their children have entered local school systems, many
of which are struggling to meet their needs.
Moreover, there is evidence that children of immigrants face
disadvantages in these new destinations due not only to their parents’ educational
and economic vulnerability, but also to a mismatch between schools’
expectations of parents, and what parents’ culture and mindsets prepare them to
give. The present study investigates current research describing educational
and economic circumstances of Latino immigrants in new destinations, which is
related to the industrial restructuring that drew them to these areas, and will
reveal the cultural perspectives they bring with them. By building on current
sociological literature and available data from the Pew Hispanic Center, I
argue that at present, local school systems in new destinations have a unique
opportunity to develop strong community ties with Latino immigrants by taking
advantage of their positive views towards the education system in order to
further cultivate positive attitudes among Latino parents towards education,
increase the levels of participation in their children’s schooling, and prevent
attrition of these positive outlooks in second and third generation Latinos.
This research has policy implications by setting forth the foundations for
empirically examining Latino immigrants’ views and beliefs regarding the
education system, highlighting the cultural mismatch that exists in new
destinations’ school systems, and underlining the lack of outreach programs
serving immigrant families, which could improve their assimilation process,
increase educational attainment, and decrease dropout rates.
|
Gatlin,
Derek M. |
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Department(s): |
Sociology and Anthropology |
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Research |
Steve McDonald/Sociology and Anthropology |
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Title of Presentation: |
Mentoring Relationships at the Boys
and Girls Clubs Wake County, North Carolina and their Effects on Youth
Deviance |
Community based youth mentoring programs, such as the Boys
and Girls Clubs of America, are beneficial because they provide safe havens,
foster civic engagement and academic performance, improve physical fitness
through recreational play, offer skill-based training, and discourage deviant
behaviors for their members. Close bonds
between youth members and adult staffers sometimes develop into mentoring
relationships. Research is needed to
examine how such relationships are formed and what effects they have on
discouraging deviant behavior within the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wake County,
North Carolina. I propose a mixed
methodological and longitudinal approach in order to examine (1) which youth
develop personal (mentoring) relationships with club staffers and (2) how mentoring
relationships and club attendance influence deviant behaviors. Intensive interviews will explore mentoring
relationship formation and maintenance processes. Surveys will measure changes in attendance,
attitudes, and deviant behavior over time.
The attitudes of youth who develop personal relationships with staffers
will be compared to other youth who regularly attend the clubs, as well as
prospective members on waiting lists. My
hypothesis is that club members who develop mentoring relationships with
staffers will report less deviant behavior than club members that attend but do
not develop these kinds of relationships.
Furthermore, members that attend regularly will report less deviant
behavior than the non-participants.
|
Goff,
Allison L. |
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Department(s): |
Communication |
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Research |
Beth Barnes/Communication |
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Title of Presentation: |
Recognition and Intervention of
Language Disorders in Children: Perceived Roles of Parents, Teachers,
Pediatricians, and the Speech-language Pathologist |
The early diagnosis and intervention of language
disorders in children are now recognized as crucial to the future of a child’s
communicative ability. In order to
identify language disorders in children, it is important that parents and
professionals who spend the most time with young children have a sound
understanding of typical language development and child language
disorders. Three individual surveys were
created and distributed to gauge the understanding of parents, teachers, and
pediatricians regarding language disorders in children, while a fourth survey
was completed by speech-language pathologists regarding their perceived role in
early intervention and their work with parents, teachers, and
pediatricians. The analysis of the
surveys revealed that there is an overall lack of education and knowledge among
parents and teachers regarding language disorders in children. By recognizing these disparities in
understanding, it is possible to offer new ideas for expanding the knowledge of
parents, teachers, and pediatricians regarding typical language development and
the recognition of possible language disorders.
This knowledge will also help to further define the role of the speech
language pathologist.
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Gupta,
Siddhi |
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Department(s): |
Biological Sciences |
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Research |
Anita Flick/Biological Sciences |
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Title of Presentation: |
Critical Evaluation: Role of Non Governmental
Organizations (NGO's) in Delivery of Health Care in Rural Area |
India is the second most populated country in the world.
But, its population is still twenty five percent below the poverty line. Due to
this, there are many aspects of society today that are helping India grow from
a developing country into a rapidly developed country. One such factor is the
rise of non-governmental organizations. Non-governmental organizations, also
known as NGO’s, are constitutions constructed by a group of private persons
that form organizations to further their society which have little to no
participation from the government. These organizations are mostly formed in
order to provide services to the people of rural areas whom might not have any
contact with the government. Some of the
NGO’s might be in some ways funded by the government, yet still maintain
their non government status based upon the fact that there are no formal
government representatives placed inside the interworkings of the NGO’s. This particular research is based upon how
effective non-government organization’s are in the processes of the creation
and development of proper health care facilities and the overall education of
proper heath techniques to the people residing in the rural areas. The reason
why this research is being conducted is because of the lack of functional
health care being administered in the rural areas of India and the lack of
initiative taken by the government to assuage these serious health issues that
are rampant throughout the already impoverished rural areas. The reason why
non-government organizations are important is because they provide proper
medical care to those in need and also educate the people on proper hygienic
practices that will ensure that they have the best chance to live a healthier
and safer lifestyle.
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Kearney,
Ricci D. |
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Department(s): |
Communication |
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Research |
A. Celeste Farr/Communication |
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Title of Presentation: |
Media on Demand: Popularity of
Internet Video in the New Age of Technology |
The popularity of internet video has more than doubled
since last year (Convergence Consulting Group).
This popularity was due in part to large television stations allowing
free viewing of their television shows on their websites. The lack of compensation for internet media
contributed to the 2007-2008 Writer's Strike.
This focus group study seeks to determine the popularity of internet
video and identify its popularity relative to television. This study also
explores the popularity of internet video by attempting to identify the
characteristics that may make internet video more popular than television. Two focus groups were held with undergraduate
students who were sophomores or juniors representing various majors. A brief screener survey was used to determine
if the students qualified to participate in the focus groups. The results of the focus group demonstrate
that the convenience of accessing media from the internet is the most important
contributing factor in the internet's increasing popularity. Implications for future research were
discussed.
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Leath,
Brenna T. |
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Department(s): |
English |
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Research |
Susan M. Katz/English |
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Title of Presentation: |
The Virtual Workplace: How Working
Online Can Work For You |
In recent years, the trend of the working environment has
begun to shift increasingly to teleworkers, or employees who work remotely and
rely almost solely on technology to communicate with other members of their
organization. Virtual internships that are conducted online have become an
alternative to internships in the traditional work environment; many students,
however, are unprepared to modify their work patterns to successfully navigate
the virtual workplace, thus resulting in their confusion, frustration, and
decreased motivation. As there is a lack of literature specifically geared
towards helping interns cope with the more troubling aspects of telework, this
project provides guidance and suggestions for a profitable virtual internship
experience. Ideally, it can be used by instructors of courses such as NCSU’s
“Internships in Writing and Editing” as a course supplement to teach students
about telework and how to competently perform in a virtual internship. In four
chapters, the guide defines the virtual workplace and virtual internships,
notes their benefits and drawbacks, outlines initial information and helpful
advice, discusses organizational socialization and how to socialize oneself in
the virtual workplace, and provides examples of common difficulties encountered
by virtual interns, as well as the means to avoid them.
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Lemkes,
Jennifer M. |
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Department(s): |
Humanities and Social Sciences;
Communication with a concentration in Communication Disorders |
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Research |
Daniel A. DeJoy/Communication with a
concentration in Communication Disorders |
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Title of Presentation: |
Factors Related to Speech-Language
Pathologists' Perceptions of Telepractice in the Delivery of Clinical Service |
Clinical telepractice employs communication technology to
provide services to those who are unable or unwilling to meet for face-to-face
therapy. The 2003 American Speech and Hearing Association survey and position
statement on telepractice served as the foundation for the present research. A
20 question survey was created to assess the general perceptions of practicing
speech-language pathologists. Information also was collected to determine
whether the participant's work setting, specialization and/or online
educational experience were related to these perceptions. The results of the 71
useable surveys collected suggested a general lack of knowledge of and
experience with telepractice. Speech-language pathologists’ primary reservation
about telepractice was the loss of personal contact with clientele. Results further
indicated a difference between those who had an online educational experience,
either positive or negative, and those who had not experienced any online
education. Overall, the findings show that while speech-language pathologists
do not consider telepractice to be comparable to face-to-face therapy at
present, they do not rule out the use of this delivery method in the future.
|
Lenzi,
Rachel K. |
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Department(s): |
Zoology |
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Research |
Marianne Turnbull/Student Health
Services |
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Title of Presentation: |
Evaluating Peer Health Education: a
Chronometric Approach |
Nationally rising rates of sexual assault and sexually
transmitted infections provide a window into a growing problem on college
campuses: sex under the influence of alcohol. Traditional high-risk drinking at
universities has disastrous results when paired with intimate situations. While
educating students about safer sex and safer drinking have been top priorities
for health promotion departments on campuses for years, combining these two
areas may be a significant step towards addressing the root of the issue. As
prevention becomes more critical, peer education may be a valuable tool in
expediting this process. This study developed methodology to determine program
participants’ changes in thought patterns and behaviors over time by surveying
participants four weeks after initial peer programming presentations regarding
sex under the influence of alcohol. Trial surveys from four programs show
promising results, but have revealed technological limitations and
participation rate shortcomings that will need to be addressed in the future if
the survey is to serve as a foundation for statistical inferences about program
effectiveness.
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McCown,
Aubrey N. |
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Department(s): |
Communication |
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Research |
A. Celeste Farr/Communication |
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Title of Presentation: |
Enjoy Your Future Dental Experience:
Communication Between Your Dentist and You |
Many people have fear or anxiety about dental
experiences. Scholars (Hamilton, Rouse
& Rouse, 1994) have found that many dentists lack the ability to effectively
communicate with their patients. In
order to understand the origin and causes of adult fear and anxiety, two focus
groups were conducted. The sample
consisted of ten adults, who have visited the dentist at least one time, are
able to recall at least one trip to the dentist, and who work in the Cary
area. Participants were asked to respond
to the following research questions:
RQ1: Do you remember the first
time you went to the dentist and felt fear? RQ2: How do dentists communicate with you to sooth
your fears? RQ3: What should dentists say in order to comfort
you or reduce fear? Some of the most interesting findings include the
following: The atmosphere of the
environment is one of the most important tools for soothing fear (i.e. spa dentistry);
having a personal relationship with the dentist, in addition to the
relationship with their hygienist, is important. They wanted the dentist to communicate
expectations during the procedure (i.e. when to expect pain and what is
entailed during the procedure).
Applications for future dental practice are discussed.
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McGill,
Kelly A. |
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Department(s): |
Communication with a concentration
in Communication Disorders |
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Research |
Daniel A. DeJoy/Communication with a
concentration in Communication Disorders |
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Title of Presentation: |
The Influence of Postvocalic Voicing
and Number of Syllables On Vowel Duration |
The purpose of this study was to (1) determine how vowel
duration varies in monosyllabic words when vowels are followed by a voiced as
opposed to a voiceless phoneme, and (2) study how vowel duration varies with
the addition of an unstressed syllable to the monosyllabic root words. The productions of 20 female participants
were analyzed to determine if vowel duration was related to the phonetic and/or
syllabic environment. The findings revealed a pattern for variations in vowel
duration among words with differing structures.
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Nilsen,
Ryan B. |
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Department(s): |
English |
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Research |
John N. Wall/English |
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Title of Presentation: |
The "Traditions" and
"Teachings" (of Christ) in the New International Version and the
New Revised Standard Version |
When today’s American Protestant Christians debate issues
of social controversy such as the ordination of women or homosexuals, they
often look to the guidance of different Bibles to support their arguments.
Dozens of new translations of the Bible have emerged in the last half-century,
each uniquely defining itself through stylistic variations in how its
translators expect it to be perceived and what role they believe it should play
in informing social practice. Through stated intentions and often subtle
textual distinctions, the translators of the New International Version attempt
to establish it as the authoritative Bible of Fundamentalist Christianity and
present its relation to the social realm as one supporting a preservation of
tradition. The translators of the New Revised Standard Version, in contrast,
offer a Bible that is not consistent with the ideology of Fundamentalism, but
which instead acknowledges the role that social movements have in determining
the presentation and understanding of the text.
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O'Kelley,
Erin |
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Department(s): |
Communication |
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Research |
A. Celeste Farr/Communication |
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Title of Presentation: |
The Fear of Public Speaking |
Public speaking has become an extreme fear in society,
often dreaded above death (Gottlieb, 2004). Starting at the end of elementary
school and thereafter, individuals are faced with public speaking engagements
via school presentations, work assignments, and other projects. By studying how
this fear develops, participants provided insight into the meticulous
strategies they had learned to reduce this fear. The purpose of this study is
to understand the origin and development of fear relative to public speaking.
Two focus groups were conducted with ten participants in the first session and
six in the second. The participants were college students from North Carolina
State University representing various majors and ethnicities. All participants
had either taken or were currently enrolled in a public speaking class. The
results suggested that the fear of public speaking typically develops around
late elementary, early middle school due to an increased feeling of being
judged. Most subjects felt that the fear was learned and not innate. Although
several participants learned strategies during high school and college that
could reduce this fear, the anxiety never dissipated completely. Implications for Public Speaking instructors
were discussed.
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Pinkins,
Troy J. |
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Department(s): |
Communication |
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Research |
A. Celeste Farr/Communication |
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Title of Presentation: |
African Americans and Government
Conspiracy Theories: Implications for Health Seeking Behaviors |
Several studies have acknowledged the prevalence of
belief in conspiracy theories among African Americans (Simmons & Parsons,
2005). Such theories have explored possible factors relating to the origins of
conspiratorial beliefs, and dispelling these beliefs; however have not explored
impending effects of such beliefs in the everyday discourse of African American
culture. The purpose of this study is to explore the prevalence of African
Americans belief in Government related conspiracy theories and will examine the
relationship between belief in conspiracy theories and health seeking behaviors.
Using previous research as a framework to examine such possibilities, the
present study will examine variables including trust, power conflict, and
system blame as likely determinants of conspiratorial beliefs. A survey
containing 103 questions, 27 of which related to government conspiratorial
beliefs was used. Each question was coded from strongly disagree (value = 1) to
strongly agree (value = 5). Results and
implications of those results for Public Health practitioners were
discussed.
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Reass,
Emily B. |
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Department(s): |
Communication |
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Research |
A. Celeste Farr/Communication |
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Title of Presentation: |
What Attracts a College Girl’s Eye
in a Magazine |
Identifying what a target audience desires in a product
is important to marketers, public relations specialists, and sales teams. For a magazine, it is especially important to
determine what factors increase readership and sales as there is always a lot
of competition. To increase the success
of a publication, Public Relations representatives and magazine designers try
to determine what should be included on a front cover, since the cover truly
sells the magazine. They also seek to
create a strong inside layout that will maintain a reader's attention, and
encourage the reader to read or purchase the magazine again. The purpose of this focus group study is to
understand what encourages women to make a purchasing or reading decision
relative to magazines. The twelve
participants were traditional college age (age 18-22), female, undergraduate
students at North Carolina State. The
focus groups were convened in an on campus residence hall lounge. Overall, the
participants said that they select magazines based their familiarity and
previously established liking of the magazine content. They also felt that magazines are a great reprieve
from school, particularly when they desired something relaxing. Cosmopolitan
and Glamour are the most frequently selected because they address issues
of beauty, fashion trends, relationships (i.e. advice on dealing with men), and
sex. The price of the magazine was
surprisingly not a factor in a purchase
decision. Instead the participants were
more concerned about the colors, layout, text, and magazine material. Implications for Public Relations
practitioners were discussed.
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Ribar,
Retha M. |
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Department(s): |
Psychology |
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Research |
Mary E. Haskett/Psychology |
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Title of Presentation: |
Family Violence and Adolescent
Mental Health |
Family violence affects a large portion of the population
in our society, whether as a result of witnessing domestic violence between
parents or being victims of child abuse directly. Previous research mainly focuses
on the impact on younger children, but adolescence is an important
developmental period due to its transitional position between childhood and
adulthood. Over 200 undergraduate students, ages 18 and 21, were assessed for
recent levels of family violence as well as various maladjustment symptoms, and
overall current mental health. Preliminary analyses indicate a significant
correlation between both types of family violence and mental health; as levels
of violence increase, particularly parent to child violence, overall mental
health declines.
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Richards,
Sarah E. |
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Department(s): |
Psychology |
|
Research |
Pamela P. Martin/Psychology |
|
Title of Presentation: |
The Importance of Play in After
School Programs |
This paper explores the current literature on
after-school programs and the importance of play in these programs. Research
has shown that the time period from when school ends until parents arrive home
is an extremely critical time for child and adolescent development. The way
children spend this time is crucial because it may provide an opportunity for
children to engage in risky behavior resulting from their boredom and lack of
supervision. However, after-school programs provide children with a safe,
supervised environment with opportunities for learning and enrichment. These
programs also provide ideal environments for adult-supervised and structured play.
By creating a time for play, after-school programs are allowing the children
time for creativity, self-expression and a place explore the world through
their own means. Play also permits children to take advantage of on their
interests and abilities along with promoting positive functioning and
development. Since play is an integral part of the development of a child, to
be successful, after-school programs must include time for structured play.
|
Schach, Emily
A. |
|
|
Department(s): |
Chemistry History |
|
Research |
D. Troy Case/Sociology and
Anthropology |
|
Title of Presentation: |
Artifact Locations and Meaning
within Ohio Hopewell Burials |
The Ohio Hopewell are a Native American group from the
prehistoric Middle Woodland period (100 BC to AD 500). Utilizing a newly constructed database that
combines published and unpublished archaeological information produced over a
150-year period, patterns may be examined in ways that were not possible using
data from individual sites. This
database contains information from 936 Hopewell graves excavated from 50
different earthwork or mound sites.
Overall, information relating to the position of artifacts within
burials was present for 41.4% of reported artifacts. Artifact placement in
regard to anatomical position shows that the Hopewell heavily favored positions
about the head and neck, followed by positions at the upper limb, torso and
lower limb. It also appears that, in
general, artifacts were placed in contact with the deceased's body instead of
simply being placed at the grave edge. Individual artifact patterning was
examined for eleven different artifact types, selected because they had twenty or
more artifacts present with position information. Based on this analysis, differences were
identified in the placement of mica sheets within the Hopewell between regions,
and sites with large and small numbers of inhumations. This study indicates that there is deliberate
intent as to position when placing artifacts within the graves of deceased Ohio
Hopewell individuals.
|
Wells,
Lalita G. |
|
|
Department(s): |
Psychology |
|
Research |
Pamela Martin/Psychology |
|
Title of Presentation: |
Myth and Realities: Understanding the Multidimensionality within the Black Church |
After the family, the African American church stands as
the second most significant institution in African American communities
(Lincoln & Mamiya, 1990; Paris, 1985).
This poster focuses on the contributions of African American Protestant
faith communities in sustaining the mental health and familial networks of
African Americans across three historical time periods. This study integrates “slave narratives” as
historical references as well as current empirical research on religious
behaviors among African Americans to provide an overview regarding the role of
African American faith communities in promoting mental health outcomes. To date, little is known about the role of
theology influencing mental health outcomes among African American adolescents
and adults. This poster will present
the findings of several studies from the African American Faith Communities
Project. Study one (N = 211) examines
the role of theology in shaping parental mental health outcomes. The second study (N = 205) investigates how
theology of churches relate to racial identity, discrimination, and
destigmatization. The study will discuss
the implication of theology on the mental health and familial networks among African
Americans.
|
Wells,
Lalita G. Edwards,
Loren E. Moffitt,
Stephanie L. |
|
|
Department(s): |
Psychology |
|
Research |
Pamela Martin/Psychology |
|
Title of Presentation: |
The Salvation Army Nurturing
Program: Sustaining and Maintaining Families |
In Wake County it is estimated that 11% or more of the
population is living in poverty. The number
of homeless people was reported at 19% in 2005; of that percentage nearly a
fourth consisted of children and youth (City of Raleigh,
www.raleighnc.gov/endinghomelessness).
As a result, the Salvation Army created a nurturing program that focuses
on the family as a system to assist homeless families. North Carolina State University has
collaborated with the Salvation Army to enable students to apply classroom
knowledge to real world situations and effectuate change. The three major components of this program
are moral development, parenting practices, and discipline. This presentation will focus on morality as a
function of the Social Domain theory.
More specifically, we will review parental involvement in the
facilitation of moral development through affective and cognitive aspects. The goal is to utilize this information to
develop and implement a new curriculum for the nurturing program that will
better accommodate all age groups of the developmental stages.
|
Whitson,
Catherine A. |
|
|
Department(s): |
Psychology |
|
Research |
Pamela Martin/Psychology |
|
Title of Presentation: |
Evaluation of NC State's
Sustainability, Energy, and Engineering Research Experience for
Undergraduates |
Every summer, undergraduate students across the country
participate in numerous federally funded experience for undergraduates (REU).
This evaluation outlines second year results from the Sustainability, Energy,
and Engineering (SEE) REU at North Carolina State University. The program aims
to develop the future knowledge of leaders in sustainability and green
engineering, enhance the likelihood of successful graduate education in
engineering among undergraduate scholars from underrepresented groups and
promote disciplined thinking related to science among undergraduate scholars.
SEE incorporates several multidisciplinary strategies to include mentoring and
practical learning experiences which serve as motivation for scholars to engage
in sustainable research practices. The SEE program establishes a diverse and
inclusive environment for undergraduate scholars by providing a wide range of
research topics to explore in addition to faculty members from various
technical backgrounds. Although primarily grounded in Chemical Engineering, SEE
also includes projects and researchers from the Departments of Nuclear
Engineering, Textile Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Wood
and Paper Science, Civil Engineering, and Chemistry. The program emphasizes
collaborative research efforts of Faculty mentors, graduate/post-doctoral
student mentors and undergraduate scholars to conduct quality product or
process engineering research on environmental and energy sustainability
strategies. The 10 week research intensive program culminates with the
presentation of research results in a campus wide research conference. Fifteen
undergraduate students from several different types of universities
participated in the summer research experience. The results showed that
undergraduate scholars were attracted to the SEE REU because of the opportunity
to participate in research which could possibly solve some of the challenges
facing the United States (e.g., environmental strains, renewable energy, and
alternative transportation). Other significant findings and implications will
be addressed.
|
Wilkins,
Jeffrey L. Tucker,
LaTonya S. |
|
|
Department(s): |
Psychology |
|
Research |
Pamela Martin/Psychology |
|
Title of Presentation: |
Understanding Disciplinary Practices
Among Homeless Families: Salvation Army Nurturing Program |
In Wake County it is estimated that 11 percent of the population
lives in poverty. In 2003, a one-day survey identified 1,235 people as being
homeless. It is estimated that family homelessness in Wake County is increasing
11 percent yearly. High mortgage rates and low wage jobs have been major
contributors to the risings rates of homelessness in Wake County (City of
Raleigh, www.raleighnc.gov/endinghomelessness). The Salvation Army offers
transitional housing for homeless families in Wake County. A requirement for
housing at the Salvation Army necessitates that the family participate in the
Nurturing Program. The objectives of the Nurturing Program are to identify and
assess high risk parenting behaviors, enable individuals to function well in
society, to enhance self-worth in program participants, to empowering families
to make informed decisions, provide an outlet to reduce stress, and promote an
optimistic view of life. Discipline is one of the core principles of the
Nurturing Program. Physical discipline is a common method of obedience
regulation. The stressful effects of poverty increase improper use of physical
discipline. Our research focuses on developing a more effective strategy for
discipline.
[ 2008 Undergraduate Research Symposium Main Page ]
Last modified
February 2008 by Sharon E. Hunt, WordHunting