Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Racial Disparities In The Foster Care System As Explained By Professionals Working Within The System, Vanessa Wilson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Systemic racism leads to Black people being overrepresented in sectors of life such as poverty, homelessness, and incarceration. However, because of this same systemic racism, Black children in the United States are subjected to disadvantages in many aspects of life— one of which is foster care. Children raced as Black are two and a half times more likely than white children to be reported to Child Protective Services resulting in them entering the foster care system twice as often as white children (Miller, Cahn, and Orellana 2012). While past studies have examined the number of children in foster care that …

Psychosocial Student Adaptions To Covid-19 In Higher Education: A Mixed-Methods Approach To Covid-19 Through The Theoretical Framework Of Anomie, Grace Erika Johnson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted individuals and social institutions due to an abrupt and expansive change to norms and values, which are key characteristics of an anomic state. The purpose of this exploratory and descriptive study was to understand how students enrolled at residential university perceived educational and societal pressures associated with COVID-19. This research applied a mixed methods approach and relied upon three phrases of research: (1) Pilot questionnaire (n=54); (2) Qualitative interviews (n=14); and (3) Quantitative questionnaire (n=253). Findings suggested similarities in how university students responded to COVID-19 and how communities responded previously to other forms of natural disasters. …

Is The Ivory Tower Made Of Glass?: Examining Work Experiences Of Women Faculty At Butler University, Erin Elizabeth Mahan

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The guiding research question for this study is: “What are the structural, cultural, and situational factors that affect women faculty’s experience at Butler University?” While this project focuses broadly on women as an identifying group, it also requires attention to the intersectionality of individuals’ experience as issues such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disabilities are also factors shaping women’s experiences. The information from this study draws attention to the experiences that women faculty have related to their gender and potentially facilitate change starting at Butler University. This paper will discuss the experiences of women faculty at Butler University regarding …

Art, Race, And The Carceral System: Perceptions Of Criminality In Artful Expression, Abiodun Akinseye

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Prior research suggests that rap music is viewed as more “criminal” than other musical genres. Furthermore, juries are likely to attribute criminal stereotypes to rappers, in part due to assumptions of guilt and innocence based on race (Smiley, 2017; Smiley & Fakunle, 2016). Recently courts have used rap lyrics as a form of confessionary evidence against rappers in the courtroom (e.g., McKinley Phipps v. Tim Wilkinson, 2001), but this practice does not extend to other art forms, such as stand-up comedy. This interdisciplinary paper utilizes a mixed-methods approach to research, using both content analysis and experimental methods to develop an …

Bird's Eye View: The Construction Of Identity And Community On Social Media Among Cirque Du Soleil Performers, Katrina L. Sandefer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Although the circus has been around for hundreds of years, it is still a large part of the entertainment industry that draws substantial crowds and interest. Cirque du Soleil— a Québécois contemporary circus— attracts a lot of attention because of its aerial and acrobatic performances. Fans can experience the circus in person at a performance, but they can also interact online by watching performers on social media. TikTok— a social media platform where creators share videos up to three minutes in length— is a great place for Cirque du Soleil performers to gain a new audience and interact with their …

Racial Implicit Bias In Healthcare: Physicians’ Expectations Of Black Vs. White Patients’ Health Insurance, Brianna M. Avery

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Systemic racism is affecting all sorts of systems in America, specifically the healthcare system. When it comes to racial implicit bias in healthcare, it could involve race, gender, weight, education, and more. Depending on how qualities of patients affect the physician subconsciously, this could affect the quality of care a patient receives. An understudied area of bias in the healthcare system involves how a patient’s race and health insurance affects physician implicit bias. In this study, we examined whether a patient’s race would influence whether the physician thought the patient would pay with either private insurance or Medicaid. We found …

A Narrative-Based Comparative Analysis Of College Experiences Among Racial And Ethnic Minority And Majority Students, Camryn Ellison

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The goal of this paper is to analyze student stories and discourse around race on Butler’s campus in order to create greater empathy and understanding of the experiences of students of color, foster conversations about race among students, and lead to greater racial allyship at Butler University.

From Serbia To Xinjiang; A Comparative Analysis Of Genocidal Regimes, Drake Mitchell Olson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Rather than seeking to give a causal explanation of genocide and ethnic cleansing, I ask the more pointed question “are there patterns present at the societal level that signal the potentiality of genocide in a given cultural context?” Through examination of two socially and temporally distinct instances of genocide, the Bosnian genocide and the Uyghur genocide, I argue that there exist certain patterns which precede historical instances of genocide and that these antecedent phenomena contribute to the potential for genocide in those societies. I identify three broad trends that contribute to the potential of genocide: the cultivation of ethnic nationalism …

Structural Formation And Functionality Of The Spoiie Protein In Clostridium Difficile, Rachel Siebenmorgen

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

My research efforts were directed toward the structure and functionality of a protein, designated SpoIIE [11], which previously has been shown to regulate C. difficile peptide utilization in addition to sporulation and toxin release. The SpoIIE protein is found in all spore-forming gram-positive bacteria and is a crucial component in activation of transcription factors and septum formation thus affecting the regulation and timing of spore development [11,12]. A truncated form of the SpoIIE protein named SpoIIE∆TM was used in an effort to determine the structure of an important but uncharacterized linker domain of the protein. If the structure and specific …

Anthropomorphism In Architecture: An Investigation Into Anthropomorphism Through Ancient Greco-Roman Religious Structures, Emily Wilcox

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper will outline and detail an investigation into religious Greco-Roman structures of antiquity through the lens of anthropomorphism. Through defining anthropomorphism, three lenses of thought have presented themselves as means of inquiry: metaphor, scale and proportion, and ergonomics. Previous research into these structures and cultures has shown that there was indeed consideration for the human body in designing in construction; this project hopes to solidify these claims and present new supporting information regarding specific relationships to the body using anthropomorphism. Many contemporary buildings approach the relationship to the human body as a mask or an afterthought, disregarding what reflecting …

Effect Of Larval Experience On Learning Mate Preference In Bicyclus Anynana, Taryn Tibbs

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Phenotypic traits are shaped by the interaction of an organism's genes and the environment they experience. The plasticity of phenotypic traits is particularly responsive to developmental environments which can shape adult traits, such as expressed behaviors like mate choice and the ability to learn preferences. The Lepidoptera species Bicyclus anynana has been shown to learn mate preference based on social interaction following emergence from the chrysalis, however if and how the social complexity of the larval experience affects this ability to learn is less understood. Here I test the effects of isolation during the larval period on a female’s ability …

The Effects Of Time Restricted Feeding On Markers Of Type 2 Diabetes, Brooke Martin

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases in the country, comprising 10% of the American population. Obesity rates are at an all-time high and greatly increase risk factors for developing diabetes. Insulin resistance is the main feature of type 2 diabetes and causes management of the disease to be extremely difficult. Currently there are different possible treatments for type 2 diabetes including medication and dieting. However, diets involving fasting, though high in popularity, do not have a lot of evidence regarding their ability to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.

Time restricted feeding (TRF) is …

Using Ai To Examine Nocturnal Moth Pollination, Conor Moriarty

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The importance of insect-mediated agriculture cannot be understated especially in the wake of pollinator population declines. Most research of insect-mediated pollination is focused on diurnal pollinators like the honeybee (Apis mellifera). Deepening our understanding of how other pollinators, such as nocturnal pollinators, can benefit agriculture and ecosystems will be very important as honeybee populations decline. I explored nocturnal moth interactions with flowering apple flowers during their pollination season to better understand how these nocturnal pollinators interact with the plants. To accomplish this, I used a University of Arkansas farm area with a dedicated apple orchard. I gathered my raw data …

Pandemics And Animal Welfare: A Quantitative Inquiry Into How The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Affected The Companion Animal Industry In Northwest Arkansas, Kayla N. Desmet

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019, industries have been impacted globally. The companion animal care industry has not received much recognition in mainstream news, and though multiple grants have been allocated (Nolen, 2020), limited resources were available to individual facilities such as animal shelters, animal day cares, and boarding facilities. Little is known about the long-term effects of the pandemic on these facilities and how companion animal care may have changed. The purpose of this study was to explore the day-to-day impacts and long-term effects of COVID-19 on the companion animal industry in Northwest Arkansas from …

Using Community Science To Assess The Effect Of Wing Pattern And Weather On Butterfly Behavior, Abbigail Merrill

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Signaling in insects is used as communication and for attraction of mates. The physical appearance of the insect as well as conditions such as weather can play a role in visual signaling, by influencing the wavelengths of light available, and subsequent signal detection. We do not know, however, whether signals butterflies present broadly correlate with how they behave. In this study, we looked at the wing patterns and behavior of butterflies in Northwest Arkansas over a 3.5-year period to assess the relationship between wing pattern, weather, and behavior. We used observational data collected by hundreds of University of Arkansas students …

The Trauma Of Premature Exposure To Violence: The Destruction Of Innocence In The Hunger Games, Riley Woody

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Infrastructures Of Trust And Care In Latin American Migrant Communities, Lily Hardwig

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, And England: The Germanic Revival Of The 9th, 10th, And 11th Centuries, Amanda N. Boeing

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Unfamiliar Familiar | An Exploration Into The Architectural Uncanny, Jessica P. Peters

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Understanding Autonomy And Positionality In Obstetric Care Outcomes For Queer Individuals, Juliana K. Upchurch

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Sex And Politics: Understanding Gender Divides In American Political Participation, Megan A. Engle

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Creating A Backyard Buzz: Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Using A Video Infographic To Increase Knowledge About Mosquito Populations And Diseases In Tn, Caroline M. Barnes, Rebecca T. Trout Fryxell, Cristina Barroso, Julie Andsager

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Tennessee’S Covid-19 Response: The Relationship Between Case Numbers And Public Opinion, Chandni Naidoo

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Attachment Styles On Digital Sexual Coercion In College-Aged Adults, Laura Elizabeth Stanley

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Creating A Printed Electronic Tangible User Interface Suitable For Primary Education Settings, Lauren Toler

All Theses

With the growing popularity of interactive learning, an experiment developing a tangible user interface made of paper was performed. Screen printing was utilized to print conductive traces that would connect to a device that has capacitive touch capabilities. A color mixing program was coded to accompany the tangible interface. It was found that a tangible user interface can be successfully made of paper. Further research with development, construction, and testing of this paper tangible interface was proposed.

Elevated Levels Of External Cysteine Inhibit Nitrogen Fixation By The Methanogenic Archaeon Methanosarcina Acetivorans, Regan Massey

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Methanogens are nitrogen fixing and methane producing archaea that play a key role in the cycling of carbon and nitrogen on earth. The global carbon and nitrogen cycle is vital to all life which makes the methanogen a primary organism of study. Methanogens are the only archaea capable of fixing nitrogen, and in order to do so, methanogens use a vital enzyme called the nitrogenase which fixes dinitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3). Expanding our understanding on metabolic processes of methanogens allows us to understand their environmental impact and advance their use in biotechnological applications. Methanosarcina acetivorans is the model used …

Examining Difference In Social Perceptions Between Women Using Hormonal Contraceptives And Naturally Cycling Women, Caroline B. Johnson

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The term “stress” refers to a person’s psychological and physiological response to the demands and pressures of the world around them (Farlex, 2021). Past research has shown that stress can have negative side effects on a person’s well-being (Aneshensel et al., 1991; Wunsch et al., 2017; Michie, 2002). Although people experience stress, some people perceive more stress than others. Perceptions are important because the way one understands certain conditions can elicit distinct emotional and physiological responses (Kemeny, 2003). An important factor that has not received a lot of attention is women’s use of hormonal contraceptives. In the United States, 24.4% …

The Organizational Evolution Of Small Food Buying Clubs, Taylor Lange

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Organizations are pervasive in modern society and the factors of their evolution are the subject of considerable scholarship. Most literature on organizational evolution focuses on the role of leaders and entrepreneurs, specifically their decision making interacts with market forces. However, the behavior and interactions of regular organization members, such as nonmanagerial employees or club members, is surprisingly overlooked. Specifically, examinations of social dilemmas between co-workers and the role of learning are often discounted in the current literature. This dissertation explores how the dynamics of cooperation and the learning of preferences as cultural traits become consequential in the evolution and longevity …

Do You Believe What You Know?: A Quantitative Analysis Of Sexual Education, Sexual Consent, And Rape Myth Acceptance In College Student Attitudes And Actions, Julie Sisler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sexual education has long been a heavily debated topic, particularly in relation to appropriateness and effectiveness. The subject is further muddled by the difficulty of effectively addressing sexual consent and sexual assault in sexual education. The topics have garnered additional attention in today’s society, but remain ambiguous and complex. This quantitative thesis sought to examine the relationships between sexual education, sexual consent, and sexual assault, focusing specifically on college populations. Through surveying 445 college students using the Updated Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (IRMA), Sexual Consent Scale (SCS-R), and Affirmative Sexual Consent Situational Knowledge Scale, connections between attitudes and actions regarding …

Historical Underpinnings And Consequent Effects Of Labor Exploitation Of Mexican And Central Americans In The United States, Andrew Elkins

World Languages, Literatures and Cultures Undergraduate Honors Theses

The experience immigrants have today working and living in the southern United States is defined by systems that have developed out of lingering racist attitudes and reactions toward these individuals. The flow of people across the U.S.-Mexico border has a long history, and it is characterized by patterns that have continued from early guest worker programs to the present-day flow of migrants, both legal and undocumented. Also continually present is the racialization of these migrants, which has often forced them to work and live as marginalized members of American society. This project will explore the establishment of Mexican American citizen …