Annual Undergraduate Student Research Forum
Recent Submissions
Item Maternal Neural and Parasympathetic Regulation and Parenting Stress
Miller, Samantha; Phelps, Randi; Kinesiology; Neuroscience; Clinical PsychologyWe examined the relation between maternal neural (delta-beta coupling [coupling]) and autonomic (respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]) regulatory processes and mothers’ parenting stress longitudinally. It was expected that maternal neural regulation would negatively predict parenting stress while autonomic regulation would positively predict parenting stress. A subsample of mother-child dyads (N=51) from a larger longitudinal study in Dr. Elizabeth Kiel’s lab was used. Dyads participated in a lab visit at child age 2. Mothers provided consent and participated in episodes designed to elicit a range of reactions to novel situations (i.e., gentle arm restraint, snack delay, spider) with their child. RSA was collected during each of these emotion eliciting paradigms. Two weeks later, coupling was measured when mothers returned to the lab for an electroencephalography (EEG) visit during which time mothers watched videos of their children in the emotion eliciting paradigms. At child age 4, mothers completed the Parenting Stress Index. Results suggested that, in this sample, maternal coupling and RSA did not significantly predict maternal parenting stress longitudinally. It is possible that the episodes used were not emotion eliciting for mothers as the episodes have been designed as emotion eliciting for toddlers. It is also possible that these measures of coupling and RSA simply do not relate to perceived parenting stress.Item Investigating a Ketogenic Diet as a Potential Adjunctive Therapy for Colon Cancer Treatment
Allaire, Danielle; Parnell, Ryan; Zhu, Qi; Biology; Biochemistry; Pre-Medical Studies Co-Major; General Business & Spanish MinorItem Undergraduate Student Motivation for Social Science Research Methods
Schroeder, Matthew; Edwards, Tristan; Smith, Morgan; Cornett, Maranda; Maples, Emily; Greene, Garry; Applied Social Research; Psychological Science and Applied Social Research; Applied Social ResearchThe purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between the students’ reasons for taking an undergraduate research methods course (USRMC) and their course motivation regarding whether they are an applied social research (ASO) major.Item Seeking Sustainable Urban Renewal: an anthropological study of neighborhood change
Burrell, Blake; Anthropology; PsychologyUrban restructuring in Cincinnati has primarily been enacted as corporate-led gentrification, widening socio-economic disparities and displacing lower-income populations. One Cincinnati community is challenging this process by asking, ‘how can we practice community-based urban renewal?’ The Enright Ridge Urban Ecovillage (ERUEV) is a grassroots organization focused on integrating household and community practices of environmental sustainability into their urban neighborhood. Their goal is to engage and educate the neighborhood about sustainability issues in innovative ways. In summer 2018, I began a collaborative ethnographic project designed to understand how the ERUEV organizes and executes sustainable projects, and how their efforts work toward structural change in the neighborhood. I have conducted participant observation with ERUEV committees responsible for community engagement and public relations. I have also been actively involved in their recent project focused on redeveloping a vacant property into a space that might facilitate neighborhood social relations through urban gardening, local music, and their community-sustained agriculture program. With this project, the community aims to use sustainable practices as a response to issues of structural violence, and ideally improve community relations between ERUEV and the surrounding neighborhood. I aim to understand ERUEV’s decision-making around this project, this paper will integrate frameworks from urban, applied, and organizational anthropology to analyze the tensions and mutuality that arise from the community’s commitment to consensus-based decision structures.Item The Effect of Drop-Set Training on Muscle Activation and Muscle Fatigue
Chaney, Grace; Kinesiology; Premedical SciencesMuscle Fatigue is the inability of a muscle to generate force or power to maintain the quality of movement. Muscle fatigue can significantly limit physical performance in daily activities of living, during physical rehabilitation, and during health-related resistance exercise training. Our overall goal is to examine the relationship between resistance exercise training and the muscle fatigue process. In this study we measured the neuromuscular responses to a unique velocity and load-based resistance exercise training methodology.Item Influence of Early Life Stress on a Mouse Model of Binge Alcohol Drinking
Thomas, Annemarie; Arnold, Brandon; Sneddon, Eliizabeth; Radke, Anna; Psychology and Neuroscience; PsychologyThe current study examined whether exposure to an early life stressor in mice increases compulsive alcohol drinking in adulthood.Item The Effects of Practice Start Times on Athlete Drinking Behavior
Marshall, Abigail; BiologyStudent-athletes represent a high-risk sub-population on college campuses for alcohol misuse. In contrast to their non-athlete peers, student-athletes have a number restrictions placed on their time. The drinking culture of student-athletes differs from that of other college students with the student-athletes reporting higher levels of binge drinking, heavier drinking, and more drinking related injuries despite having more preventative educational programs available to them (Nelson & Wechsler, 2009). Moreover, research indicates that these alcohol consumption practices vary across type of sport (e.g., football, volleyball, swimming). However, it is unknown if the daily schedule of these sports impacts the patterns of alcohol consumption on these teams. The current study seeks to examine the drinking habits of student-athletes changes as a function of mandatory practice time (i.e., each team has standard practices at different times of day). The results could better help athletic departments schedule practices with the intention of increasing the health and wellbeing of their athletes. Data is being collected through an anonymous online survey using the Qualtrics program. Email invitations were sent and participants were entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card. The study is being conducted at a midsized mid-Western university. The results of the survey are currently being analyzed, but is expected that sports that have earlier practice start times will have a decreased use of alcohol when compared to that of sports with practice later in the day.Item Seeing the Complex Person Within: Changing Caregiver Perceptions of Memory Care Residents
Sawyer, Madison; Marketing; Global Health Studies and Film StudiesI spent 42 hours as a volunteer visitor with memory care assisted living at The Lutheran Home in Wauwatosa, WI. I took detailed notes on my observations and interactions with caregivers and staff. This led me to the question, "How can we improve the quality of life of memory care residents?" From my secondary research, along with my observations from my time as a volunteer, I arrived at four recommendations for memory care assisted living facilities. These recommendations should be investigated further through more quantitative means to measure their efficacy.Item Not For Long: College Athletes and Education
Brewster, Ryan; Strategic Communications; Political ScienceItem Effect on Cognitive Skills of Stress in Real Life vs Virtual Reality
Baldasare, Alexander; Sarvagya, Vasudha; Poppe, Elaine; Washam, Eliana; Environmental Earth Science; German; Psychology; Neuroscience; Nutrition; Spanish; Speech PathologyItem High Mobility Low Cost Polarimeter
Groves, Benjamin; PhysicsKnowing the polarization of a light beam is essential for BEC optical mechanics and fiber coupling. To entrap the atoms in a MOT six beams of equal strength and polarization are required. With polarity maintaining fibers knowing the polarization for each beam prior to coupling is ideal, but with 11 beams (3 high pressure, 6 low pressure, 1 imaging, 1 cooling) having an unwieldy polarimeter is not an option.Item Positive Consequences of Drinking on Social Connection
Wright, Maggie; Kinesiology; pre-medAlcohol may stimulate social bonding, increase the amount of time people spend talking to one another, and reduces displays of negative emotions (Sayette 2012). Individual and group interactions were assessed using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) and the Grouptalk model for speech behavior in this research. It was found that social interaction time increased when moderate alcohol use was involved. In a survey in the U.S., the most common outcome of drinking as reported by drinkers labeled as non problematic was that they "felt happy and cheerful" (Cahalan, 1970). In a different survey, 43% of adult male drinkers always or usually felt "friendly" when they drank. This can be compared with 8% who felt "aggressive" and 2% "sad" (Roizen, 1983). The purpose of the study being conducted was to examine the positive consequences of alcohol consumption on social connections by taking into account how one feels after drinking, time spent drinking, their gender, and amount of alcohol consumed, should be kept moderate. Data will be collected through an anonymous survey. It can be predicted that drinking while enhance social bonding by increasing the ease and comfort of conversation, boosting the mood of the situation, and increasing confidence of individuals.Item Because You Can, You Should: A Beauvoirian Ethics of Food
Lazarski, Anne; Philosophy and Political Science; English LiteratureThe freedom to act in humans and the inability to act in nature imposes the moral responsibility on humans to return to nature that which they have used or ruined and improve upon it for future generations and the preservation of nature itself; in order for this to happen, humans must constantly be willing their freedom to create a more free and less destructive food system.Item Preventing burnout in hospice: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for family caregivers
Moleski, Tatum; Biology; Global HealthThe presence of "caregiver burnout" for family caregivers of terminally ill patients has been defined as a pathological condition, but little is known about its long term effects or prevention. This study explores the use of COPE, a cognitive behavioral therapy method, to prevent caregiver burnout and reduce patient suffering in a hospice setting.Item ASIS Stress Reaction in Female Basketball Player
Sondys, Kristin; Athletic Training & KinesiologyBackground: A 19 year-old NCAA Division I female basketball player (188cm, 61kg) reported proximal Quadriceps femoris (Quad) and hip discomfort for several days in her right leg whilst running 300 meters. Initially, the injury presented with tightness in her right Quad and progressed to soreness with running. Patient’s soreness was directly over the Tensor fascia latae (TFL) and Sartorius region with painful straight leg raises and abduction on the affected side. She reported no popping, snapping, crunching, or pulling sensation and had no previous history of hip injury or pain. Differential Diagnosis: Hip flexor strain (Psoas major/minor), Tensor fascia latae strain, Adductor strain, Osteitis pubis, Avulsion fracture of the Anterior Superior Iliac Spine (ASIS), and lower abdominal muscle strain are examples of differential diagnoses that may occur with pain around the ASIS region. Treatment: Upon evaluation, patient was put on limited participation and progressed as tolerated in July 2017. The patient attended physical therapy once a week. She received dry needling to address painful myofascial trigger points that limited her Sartorius and TFL range of motion. She started an intensive Gluteal strengthening regime due to assessed Glute activation insufficiency. Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) was also administered in an effort at improving muscle fiber alignment, reducing myofascial trigger points, and preventing buildup of proteins. The patient worked to improve her mobility, stability, and strength in her lower extremities bilaterally. The patient also underwent electrotherapy couple with cryotherapy post activity to modulate pain. The patient progressed and returned to play by the beginning of season in November 2017 with unlimited playing time. Uniqueness: Stress reactions on the ASIS are not common, especially with Sartorius complications. Sartorius avulsions off the ASIS are sometimes witnessed in young athletes because of osteological development. The ASIS is a pronounced, secure segment of the Ilium and thus it is uncommon for muscular avulsion at this boney prominence to occur. Conclusions: Clinicians should be informed and aware of the signs, symptoms, and differential diagnoses for a stress reaction on the ASIS due to the Sartorius. When encountering pain over the anterior hip region in a patient, a stress reaction of the ASIS must be a potential differential diagnosis especially when associated with Glute weakness, pain with straight leg raises and abduction of the affected leg. ASIS stress reactions may be effectively managed with conservative treatment of rest and cryotherapy with appropriate mobility and strengthening exercises. Knowledge and understanding of special tests and manual muscle testing can help to determine and differentiate diagnoses. Clinical Application: Clinically, these findings can be used to broaden a clinician’s differential diagnoses and better achieve positive patient outcomes. It also helps provide clinicians with a potential treatment framework in the event of an ASIS stress reaction.Item Effects of Sex on Resistance to Punished Alcohol-Seeking
Bhati, Sachi; Bhatterai, Roshika; Sneddon, Elizabeth; Monroe, Sean; Psychology; Medical Laboratory ScienceTo further study the relationship between sex differences in relation to alcohol consumption and resistance to punishment, an operant conditioning paradigm was used.Item Stereotype Threat and Task Stereotype Threat and Task Performance: How Calvin Klein Models Affect the Average Joe
Freeman, Kate; Psychology; Individualized Studies13 male-identified individuals of all ages participated in the study. In quantitative analysis, no significant changes were found between experimental groups. Interviews were coded qualitatively by three categories: ideal characteristics of a man, personal main influence on masculinity, and whether or not there was a perceived difference in individual and masculine confidence. These findings revealed that 8 of the 13 total individuals believed that the people around them, including peers, family, and role models had the biggest impact on their ideals, whereas only 2 mentioned media as the main influence. Due to the variability in response and small sample size, the data was not generalizable to a specific population. Future work may choose to focus on only college-age American men as to increase external validity and allow researchers to choose more age-specific advertising. In conclusion, although the results were statistically insignificant, the study provided important qualitative findings that may guide future research.Item The Impact of Perceived Self-Efficacy on Regret
Boemker, Jessica; Psychology; Family RelationshipsThe purpose of this study was to shed light on the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and regret. I measured regret by its two subcomponents, cognitive regret and affective regret . I hypothesized first that as perceived self-efficacy increases, so too would the experience of cognitive regret. Second, I predicted that as perceived self-efficacy decreases, the experience of affective regret would increase. I expected that people with more perceived self-efficacy, believing themselves more capable globally, would be more likely to reflect on and learn from their mistakes. In contrast, I thought people with less perceived self-efficacy would tend to focus on the emotional distress that accompanies regret, feeling less able to have modified their past decisions. However, my hypotheses were not supported by the data. Although my predictions were not supported, the goal of promoting the most functional regret experience possible remains. Future research could establish a causal relationship between perceived self-efficacy, both general and specific, and regret.Item Effects of taste aversion on alcohol seeking behavior in mice
Ramsey, Olivia; Biochemistry; Pre-Medical StudiesThis study explores the sex differences in aversion-resistant drinking. Mice were used in an operant conditioning setting in order to study these differences. We found that female mice exhibited aversion-resistance behavior when quinine was added to ethanol and sucrose. Males only exhibited aversion-resistant behavior at 100 uM of quinine in ethanol.Item Linguistic Differences in the Production of Narratives by Adolescents with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder
Adams, Theresa; McElroy, Bryn; Igel, Megan; Kingsbury, Sarah; Shield, Aaron; Speech Pathology & Audiology; Psychology; Special Education; Disability StudiesAdolescents with (n=20) and without (n=20) autism spectrum disorder (ASD), matched for age, intelligence, and language, produced narratives during the Trier Social Stress Test that were analyzed for pronoun use, mental state terms, and disfluencies. Participants, matched for language and intelligence test scores, were given a prompt and told a story to analysts using the Trier Stress Test procedure. For disfluencies, the findings indicated children with ASD increased stutters and repetitions under stressful conditions. TD children may also pay more attention to suprasegmental aspects of speech, thus resulting in more prolonged syllables than children with ASD. Children with ASD produced fewer mental state terms, especially cognitive and affective, than TD children. Children with ASD produced more ambiguous 3rd person pronouns than TD children, which may reflect differences in theory of mind.