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Articles 3451 - 3480 of 6849

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Understanding The Conversion To Christianity And Messianism In A Hmong Community In Nan, Thailand, Lindsey Fields, Dr. Jacob Hickman Apr 2014

Understanding The Conversion To Christianity And Messianism In A Hmong Community In Nan, Thailand, Lindsey Fields, Dr. Jacob Hickman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Hmong of Thailand find themselves at the beginning of the 21st century embedded in a unique religious context. Though traditionally, Hmong people have practiced a mixture of spirit rituals and ancestral worship known as Dab Qhuas shamanism, in an increasingly globalized world these traditional practices have in some cases given way as Hmong in some locales are beginning to convert to other religions. Although Thailand does not have a significant Christian population, Western Christianity has begun to take seed among this people. Additionally, a surge of home-grown religious revitalization movements is emerging. Messianic groups professing a more correct set of …

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Sleepy Meets Grumpy: Daily Sleep Predicting Marital Interactions Through Mood, Wesley Godfrey, Jeremy Yorganson Apr 2014

Sleepy Meets Grumpy: Daily Sleep Predicting Marital Interactions Through Mood, Wesley Godfrey, Jeremy Yorganson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As populations worldwide grow increasingly older, the need to understand associations between daily health behaviors and relational outcomes among the aging population is of great importance. Further, exploring these associations among individuals in a relationship as common, yet as influential, as the marriage relationship is especially imperative to consider. Current literature has identified sleep as an important correlate to marital quality (Strawbridge, Shema, & Roberts, 2004). However, less is understood concerning the mechanisms that may account for this link, especially among the older population. Furthermore, though studies have identified important relationships between sleep and mood (Neckelmann, Mykletun, & Dahl, 2007), …

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The Causes Of Vigilantism And Other Sacrificial Behavior, Skye Herrick, Dr. Joshua Gubler Apr 2014

The Causes Of Vigilantism And Other Sacrificial Behavior, Skye Herrick, Dr. Joshua Gubler

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In 2004, immigration issues surged to the center of national attention and 10% of Americans rated immigration as the number one issue facing America1. Since 2004, the economic downturn and healthcare reform have increased the discussion of immigration and its economic impact on average Americans and the economy as a whole. Hypotheses for opposition to immigration have included economic2, political, racial, and psychological cues3. None however, have focused on the effects of fear or hopelessness on a population’s mobilization against an outgroup. In addition to the lack of experimental research on the causes of opposition to illegal immigration, no experiment …

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Status On The Street: A Field Experiment On The Effect Of Signaling Socio-Economic Status On Pro-Social Behavior, Madeleine Gleave, Matthew Brigham, Dr. Daniel Nielson Apr 2014

Status On The Street: A Field Experiment On The Effect Of Signaling Socio-Economic Status On Pro-Social Behavior, Madeleine Gleave, Matthew Brigham, Dr. Daniel Nielson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Helping behavior in a given society provides an interesting measure of social trust and prosociality. Whether individuals will assist strangers in need should indicate baseline levels of empathy, perceived social obligation, and generalized trust. But to date few studies have explored experimental interventions that might affect the rate of helping in a developing-country context. In particular, we sought to explore the effects of social status on pro-sociality in a poor country; i.e., would individuals respond differently to those of higher status? To men or women? To foreigners? We explored these questions through a field experiment where we randomly assigned the …

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The Effect Of Identity: Explicit Source Cues’ Influence On Independent Expenditure Committee Ads, Kyrene Gibb, Dr. Christopher Karpowitz Apr 2014

The Effect Of Identity: Explicit Source Cues’ Influence On Independent Expenditure Committee Ads, Kyrene Gibb, Dr. Christopher Karpowitz

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the 2012 Presidential election cycle, independent expenditure committees, or Super PACs, had spent a more than $237 million advocating for one or the other presidential candidate (OpenSecrets.org, 2013). Given the large sums of money that independent expenditure committees are raising and spending to influence the outcome of presidential elections, it is worth investigating how the source of Super PAC ads affects the way they are received. As such, the purpose of this ORCA project was to investigate whether voters provided with specific identifying information for the source of an advertisement will evaluate a message differently than voters given less …

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Comparative Temperament Assessment Between Mother And Infant: A Preliminary Look At Cross-Fostering, Jenna Jackson, Dr. James Dee Higley Apr 2014

Comparative Temperament Assessment Between Mother And Infant: A Preliminary Look At Cross-Fostering, Jenna Jackson, Dr. James Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Environment can shape temperament, although temperament is thought mainly to be biologically inherited. Thus, mothers’ temperament is often similar to the infants’ temperament. Previous studies in rhesus monkeys have shown that infants have a similar temperament to their mothers, and that there is a potential genetic influence.1 In fact, the rh5-HTTLPR (serotonin transporter gene) and the rh-MAOA-LPR gene have been linked to affecting temperament, interacting between the mothers and infants. However, only male infants exhibit this effect; female infants’ temperament was not correlated with their mothers’ temperament.

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The Impact Of Western Popular Music On Indian Music Culture In Visakhapatnam, Darrik Cheney, Dr. Charles W. Neckolls Apr 2014

The Impact Of Western Popular Music On Indian Music Culture In Visakhapatnam, Darrik Cheney, Dr. Charles W. Neckolls

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project was aimed at gathering ethnographic data by identifying trends in popular music preferences among youth in Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh, specifically with western influences in mind. In addition to this, this study was paired with a study of footwear production and repair was undertaken. Analyzing these two different cross sections of the cultural climate of youth in Visakhapatnam yielded results suggestive of overall trends.

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Can Uncorrelated Shocks Generate Aggregate Autocorrelation?: Business Cycle Persistence In A Model With Endogenous Growth And Fluctuations, Chase Coleman, Dr. Kerk Phillips Apr 2014

Can Uncorrelated Shocks Generate Aggregate Autocorrelation?: Business Cycle Persistence In A Model With Endogenous Growth And Fluctuations, Chase Coleman, Dr. Kerk Phillips

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My project pertained to a field of macroeconomics known as Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) modeling. DSGE modeling is where an economist builds a model based in economic theory and associates a series of mathematic equations that describe this theory with the model. The key element that makes it more than just algebra is the dynamic feature incorporated with the stochastic element. In order to solve the majority of DSGE models a computer is necessary. Following the simulations, one typically compares the statistical moments that your model returns with those of the economy which you are attempting to simulate.

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Correlation Between Streamflow Records In The Southern Wasatch Front, Utah And Regional Tree-Ring Chronologies, Chelsea Decker, Dr. Matthew Bekker Apr 2014

Correlation Between Streamflow Records In The Southern Wasatch Front, Utah And Regional Tree-Ring Chronologies, Chelsea Decker, Dr. Matthew Bekker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The arid and heavily populated Wasatch Front in Utah is dependent on streamflow from snowmelt. Historical records of streamflow go back about 100 years but this is insufficient to provide a complete picture of streamflow variability in the area. Water managers would greatly benefit from a more extensive record of streamflow in the area to adequately plan for future population growth along the Wasatch Front.

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Images Of Rail: An Exercise In Writing For Niche Media, Emma Penrod, Dr. Quint Randle Apr 2014

Images Of Rail: An Exercise In Writing For Niche Media, Emma Penrod, Dr. Quint Randle

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Beginning in 1908, the Tooele Valley Railroad played a key role in bringing this dusty desert community up to speed with the Industrial Revolution. A collection of mining companies in the Bingham area, known then as Utah Consolidated, incorporated the railroad company and funded the construction of its six-mile-long line to connect the International Smelter to larger railroad lines including, among others, the Union Pacific. Vine Street happened to be the shortest route between the two points, so Utah Consolidated built its railway down the middle of the town’s main east-to-west thoroughfare. Before long, the railroad became a local icon. …

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Effects Of Locus Of Control On The Neural Mechanism Of Error Processing, Kaylie Carbine, Dr. Michael Larson Apr 2014

Effects Of Locus Of Control On The Neural Mechanism Of Error Processing, Kaylie Carbine, Dr. Michael Larson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Performance monitoring is the ability to assess behavior and make necessary adjustments (Ullsperger & von Cramon, 2001). Performance monitoring can be examined through event-related potentials (ERPs), which are indicators of the brain’s electrical activity in response to a specific stimulus (Luck, 2005). One specific ERP is the error-related negativity (ERN), which is a negative peak that occurs 50 to 100 ms after an erroneous response (Dehaene, Posner, & Tucker, 1994; Gehring, Goss, Coles, Meyer, & Donchin, 1993). Although there are many theories regarding the functional significance of the ERN, it is believed to signal when there is an internal detection …

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Who Can We Trust? How Information Sources Affect Political Attitudes In Peru, Lucas Brook, Dr. Darren Hawkins Apr 2014

Who Can We Trust? How Information Sources Affect Political Attitudes In Peru, Lucas Brook, Dr. Darren Hawkins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Peru has long been afflicted by corruption and political malpractice. As a result, Peruvian citizens have become disenchanted with their government. In recent years, the Peruvian government has employed internet transparency campaigns in an attempt to improve these sentiments. But what if Peruvians feel they cannot trust the information? Does the source of the information have an influence on their attitudes? In July 2013, I conducted a field experiment in Lima, Peru aimed at answering this question.

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“Take Heed With What Measure Ye Mete” Do Current Outcomes Of Religious Scholarship Reflect The Actual Impact Of Religion?, Justin Christensen, Dr. Sam Hardy Apr 2014

“Take Heed With What Measure Ye Mete” Do Current Outcomes Of Religious Scholarship Reflect The Actual Impact Of Religion?, Justin Christensen, Dr. Sam Hardy

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Scholarly research on religion reports many outcomes of religious involvement such as better physical and mental health, fewer risk-taking behaviors, and greater involvement in moral or pro-social actions (Hood, Hill, & Spilka, 2009; Cotton, McGrady, & Rosenthal, 2010). These outcomes represent a small fraction of the total possible outcomes of religious involvement, and while they do exist, little evidence has been given to show that religious adherents identify these outcomes as being the most salient outcomes for them. Therefore, our purpose in conducting this study was two-fold: 1) Allow religious adherents to report on the outcomes that they have noticed …

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Inheritance Of Social Dominance In Rhesus Macaques, Mason Bennett, Dr. James Dee Higley Apr 2014

Inheritance Of Social Dominance In Rhesus Macaques, Mason Bennett, Dr. James Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many species of primates have complex social systems and hierarchies. These social structures help in forming an identity and establishing a place in the world. Depending on one’s ranking in the social hierarchy there may be physiological, psychological, and emotional consequences. A primate with low rank may suffer greater stress, have less access to resources or social support, and have a higher chance of mortality (Sapolsky, 2004).

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Promoting Self-Reliance In Piura, Peru, Kyle Durfee, Dr. Tim Heaton Apr 2014

Promoting Self-Reliance In Piura, Peru, Kyle Durfee, Dr. Tim Heaton

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In an attempt to increase self-reliance among impoverished populations in South America, a non-profit organization teaches participants important life principles. To ensure that participants are truly receiving what they need in the best manner possible, this study was done to evaluate how well the participants understand the principles, apply the principles, and participate in the classes. The study also evaluated the efficacy of the instructors and their teaching habits. Most of the research took place in the City of Noé, a village just outside of Piura, Peru, though some data was also gathered in Iquitos and the surrounding region.

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Lingering Effects Of The Apartheid Determining Factors That Mediate The Psychological Implications Of Perceived Racism, Alexandra Knell, Dr. Timothy B. Smith Apr 2014

Lingering Effects Of The Apartheid Determining Factors That Mediate The Psychological Implications Of Perceived Racism, Alexandra Knell, Dr. Timothy B. Smith

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Experiences of racism adversely influence multiple aspects of psychological well-being, and individuals vary in their successful coping to mitigate those consequences. Recent research (van Dyk, 2008) has suggested religiosity and inter-racial forgiveness as two positive ways of coping, and my project will address the following question: “To what degree does forgiveness mediate spirituality and perceived racism separately as a buffer against the adverse effects on personal well-being?” It is my hypothesis that inter-racial forgiveness and spirituality will mediate the association of experiences of racism with psychological well-being of South Africans who report having experienced racism across their lives. Participants were …

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The Effect Of Marital Quality On Mortality: A Meta-Analysis, Tyler Harris, Dr. Timothy Smith Apr 2014

The Effect Of Marital Quality On Mortality: A Meta-Analysis, Tyler Harris, Dr. Timothy Smith

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In recent years divorce, abuse, neglect and other family issues have been on the rise. Many of these problems stem from a poor marital relationship. Elder Christofferson recently taught, “We have much to do to strengthen marriage in societies that increasingly trivialize its importance and purpose” (Christofferson 2012). This study seeks to illustrate the physical and psychological benefits of following this counsel. Studies have indicated that marital status can contribute to a decrease in mortality (Jaffe, 2007). Positive social support has been linked to lower mortality as well (Holt-Lunstad, 2010). It would logically follow that marital quality is also associated …

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A Meta-Analysis Of The Effect Of Marriage On Mortality, Chris Badger, David Stephenson, Dr. Tim Smith Apr 2014

A Meta-Analysis Of The Effect Of Marriage On Mortality, Chris Badger, David Stephenson, Dr. Tim Smith

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Relationships have already been shown to have clear psychological benefits for those involved. (Meyers, 1999) Research has also shown an inverse relationships between the number and quality of relationships and health status. (House 1988, Knox 1998) In addition to health status, an incredible amount of research has examined the relationship between relationships and mortality. Other researchers have attempted to summarize this data in metaanalyses. (HoltLunstad, Smith & Layton 2010, Manzoli 2007) However, past metaanalyses of mortality research have either focused on relationships in general or on a specific subgroup of married people, like the elderly. The current project looked specifically …

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Freedom Of Information: What Can We Learn From Our Mother Country?, Whitney Evans Apr 2014

Freedom Of Information: What Can We Learn From Our Mother Country?, Whitney Evans

Journal of Undergraduate Research

American newspapers and journalists seem to be trending toward less investigative journalism, including stories that involve the use of freedom of information requests. This can be attributed to public demand for instant information, limited budgets and non-compliance of those who respond to freedom of information requests.

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Communitarian Religiosity And Political Behavior, Matthew Frei, Dr. J Quin Monson Apr 2014

Communitarian Religiosity And Political Behavior, Matthew Frei, Dr. J Quin Monson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Some political science and sociology scholars distinguish between two dimensions of religiosity or religious commitment: individualism and communitarianism. The former means that individuals are motivated toward piety with an emphasis on an intrinsic or individual-level religious practice and belief (Allport and Ross 1967). The communitarian perspective, by contrast, claims that religiosity is driven by communal experience, with an emphasis on religion’s social and group-based rituals. Political scientists regularly measure religiosity with an almost exclusive focus on individualistic beliefs and behaviors such as whether the individual survey respondent believes in God, attends church, or believes the Bible to be the word …

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Defining Ngo Efficiency In The Developing World, Ryan C. Bakow Apr 2014

Defining Ngo Efficiency In The Developing World, Ryan C. Bakow

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Billions of dollars each year are spent on foreign aid projects, much of which ends up in the hands of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) all around the world. NGOs are involved in many phases of development and have often accomplished great things; however, despite a long history of NGO work, there have been very few studies which consider the actual effectiveness of this process. In this study we hypothesize that because NGOs work outside of the traditional market, and because of a lack of accountability, there may be significant inefficiencies at the project level. To test this hypothesis, we perform a …

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Knowing Knobe: A Linguistic Approach, Justin Stark Apr 2014

Knowing Knobe: A Linguistic Approach, Justin Stark

Journal of Undergraduate Research

People encounter and make decisions constantly. Trivially, we may need to decide which color blue better matches our eyes or, significantly, we may be asked to make a decision as participants in a jury, a decision that could affect the rest of someone’s life. Some of the more important and influential decisions we make are moral decisions. There has been a lot of interesting research analyzing and discussing moral decisions and the studies range in discipline from neuroscience to philosophy. Some of this research has suggested that language can play an important role in our decision-making processes as well as …

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Are Therapists Using Outcome Measures And Does It Matter?A Naturalistic Usage Study, Jared S. Klundt Apr 2014

Are Therapists Using Outcome Measures And Does It Matter?A Naturalistic Usage Study, Jared S. Klundt

Theses and Dissertations

Outcome measurement has been demonstrated to be beneficial when used as a routine part of psychological practice (Lambert et al., 2002), improving both treatment time and outcome of patients, and helping therapists determine which of their patients are not responding to their current treatments (Hannan et al., 2005; Whipple et al., 2003). Despite these proven benefits, many therapists are reluctant to implement and use outcome measures in their routine practice (Hatfield & Ogles, 2007). In addition, the research demonstrating the benefits of these outcome measures has used randomized experimental design to examine the effects of outcome feedback to therapists. The …

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The Role Of Sleep In Accounting For Racial Gaps In Educational Achievement, Jonathan Stevens, Dr. Eric R. Eide Apr 2014

The Role Of Sleep In Accounting For Racial Gaps In Educational Achievement, Jonathan Stevens, Dr. Eric R. Eide

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Research has clearly shown that there is a gap in educational achievement between black and white middle and high school students. Thus far studies have focused primarily on family background and school inputs in explaining the achievement gap, however, the role of racial health differences is largely unexplored. Sleep is a health indicator that shows marked racial differences and as such, we examine how much sleep differences account for racial differences in student achievement.

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Modeling Home Market Value Using Remote Sensing Vegetation Indices, Carson Stam, Dr. Ryan Jensen Apr 2014

Modeling Home Market Value Using Remote Sensing Vegetation Indices, Carson Stam, Dr. Ryan Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As the principal habitat of the human race, urban areas require a high degree of attention and research. The United Nations has estimated that slightly over 50% of the world’s population now lives in urban areas. This number is projected to increase steadily in the coming decades. The ability to understand our habitat as a species is key to understanding our future. An important component of any urban area is the urban forest. McPherson and Luttinger (1996) stated that “[r]esearch is revealing that with proper management and care, urban forests can contribute to the economic vitality and the quality of …

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Helping The Disadvantaged: A Longitudinal Examination Of Club Participation On Behavioral Outcomes, John Whitney, Dr. Renata Forste Apr 2014

Helping The Disadvantaged: A Longitudinal Examination Of Club Participation On Behavioral Outcomes, John Whitney, Dr. Renata Forste

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This study was designed as a program assessment for school-aged youth attending Boys and Girls Clubs in the greater Salt Lake City area. The study focused on the relationship between length of membership at the club on behavioral outcomes particularly with the goal of a reduction of delinquent behaviors. The original study was designed to be a longitudinal study of club participants whereby the participant’s responses were recorded using their club ID. These IDs would be used to track how individual respondent’s attitudes and behaviors changed over the course of two years as a result of their club participation. Due …

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Academic Achievement Among Immigrant Youth: Does School Matter More Than Home?, Jessica Thompson, Dr. Mikaela Dufur Apr 2014

Academic Achievement Among Immigrant Youth: Does School Matter More Than Home?, Jessica Thompson, Dr. Mikaela Dufur

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As a research team at BYU we study academic achievement and delinquency among youth. Our goal is to provide a new portrait of how investment at home and at school results in returns to children and adolescents in these areas. There is currently increased pressure on schools to be accountable for student outcomes, and No Child Left Behind ties teacher compensation and funding for schools to student achievement. But given the complexity of the processes through which student achievement is realized, will this school-centered strategy actually work? Because families play such a crucial role in promoting academic achievement, could it …

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From Symbolic To Social Boundaries: The Utah Minuteman Project, Keaton Robertson, Dr. Charlie Morgan Apr 2014

From Symbolic To Social Boundaries: The Utah Minuteman Project, Keaton Robertson, Dr. Charlie Morgan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Social movements, such as the Utah Minuteman Project (UMP) play an important role in shaping public opinion on critical immigration issues. Utah, regarded as a sanctuary state by antiillegal immigrant movements, is one of ten states that grant in-state tuition to anyone who graduates from a Utah high school without proof of residency. Furthermore, it was the first state to offer driving privilege cards to “Individuals who are unable to establish legal/lawful presence and who are ineligible for a US Social Security Number,” including undocumented immigrants. After the emergence of the Minutemen, numerous so-called “anti-immigrant” legislation has been proposed at …

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Returns On Time Investment: The Impact Of Family Social Capital On A Child’S Labor Market Outcomes, Elizabeth Warnick, Dr. John Hoffmann Apr 2014

Returns On Time Investment: The Impact Of Family Social Capital On A Child’S Labor Market Outcomes, Elizabeth Warnick, Dr. John Hoffmann

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The troubling trend of increasing economic inequality in the United States can be partially attributed to one’s background; every person in the United States is born with a degree of advantage or disadvantage. However, the extent to which this initial inequality affects labor market outcomes, such as income, has yet to be clearly defined. An individual’s background can be understood in terms of capital, which has been conceptualized in three ways: financial, human and social (Coleman 1988). Family financial capital is commonly measured by income, while human capital can be measured by parental education level. Social capital is a more …

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Association Between Heavy-Metal Exposure And The Digit-Symbol Substitution Test In Us Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study, Parker Woody, Dawson Hedges Apr 2014

Association Between Heavy-Metal Exposure And The Digit-Symbol Substitution Test In Us Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study, Parker Woody, Dawson Hedges

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Heavy metals in the environment are a serious concern. One of the most widely known and studied neurotoxins is lead. For many years it was put into gasoline and paint in the US until it was discovered that it lead to developmental defects and affected cognitive functioning. There is a concern that other heavy metals could have adverse effects as well. Much research has focused on exposure to heavy metals in those exposed to abnormally high levels, such as those found in occupational exposures. Very little has been done examining heavy metal levels in the body such as those that …

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