2014 Abstracts

Kaylie Carbine, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences There are multiple benefits of physical activity, such as weight maintenance and overall lower rates of morbidity and mortality; however, individuals with sedentary desk-bound jobs may not receive these health benefits due to less time for physical activity. Consequently, an increasing trend in the workplace is for employees to walk on treadmills while working. Although job-related treadmill walking has known health benefits, such as decreasing back pain, alleviating stress, and reducing weight gain, the effect of treadmill walking on cognitive performance is not well known and may affect employee productivity. Our objective was to determine if there are significant behavioral differences in response inhibition (the ability to withhold an overt response) and conflict-related interference between participants walking on a treadmill and sitting controls. Seventy-six neurologically and psychologically healthy individuals were randomly assigned to sitting (n = 39; 17 female) or treadmill walking (n = 37; 23 female) conditions. Participants did not differ significantly in body mass index or overall fitness levels (ps > .20). All participants completed a computerized Go/No-Go and a computerized Eriksen Flanker task. Accuracy and response time data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results indicated that there were no significant between-groups differences for individuals walking on a treadmill versus sitting on indices of response inhibition and conflict-related interference (ps > .24). The results suggest that walking on a treadmill does not decrease efficiency in these cognitive tasks and may not impact workplace performance.

Chad Clayton, Brigham Young University Social and Biological Sciences Great Britain declared war on Nazi Germany in September 1939, alongside France. Within a year, France would fall to the German Blitzkrieg and England would stand alone in Europe against the Third Reich. Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, in a radio broadcast on June 18, 1940, told the British people that, despite significant military losses in the Battle of France, “there are good and reasonable hopes of victory” upon which they must resolve to carry on. With France already conquered and The Soviet Union out of the picture, the British must have known how big of a risk they were taking. What motivated the British to face down such a foe? By examining the archival reports of the British Joint Intelligence Committee at the time, this study seeks to evaluate the British perception of German military strength in 1940 when the war began, and to see how their assessments of Germany’s military capability and plans factored into British military and political actions.

Keara Moyle, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences This study explores the concept of identity within Ojibwe tribal membership in the context of the controversial requirements that are currently in place. Over the course of the 2013 spring and summer terms I conducted an ethnographic study on the White Earth Indian reservation of Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) under the guidance and mentorship of BYU Anthropology department’s Dr. John Hawkins and Minnesota State University-Moorhead Anthropology department’s Dr. Erik Gooding. White Earth is undergoing major constitutional reforms as they are trying to declare their sovereignty as a tribe, rather than be considered a band under the current Minnesota Chippewa Tribe constitution. If this constitution passes it will have a direct impact on enrollment numbers, as they will do away with the imposed blood quantum requirements and open enrollment to anyone who is a descendant of a member. Under the current blood quantum requirements, an individual must have one-quarter Ojibwe blood to be an enrolled member in the tribe.

Kyle Hill, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Mild walking contributes to improved overall health, maintaining healthy weight, strengthening bones, and lifting mood. As such, there is now an attraction to treadmill desk stations in replacement of traditional desks, allowing individuals to walk while performing office work. However, there is little research determining if treadmill walking would affect attention and working memory abilities. We aimed to determine how working memory and attention would be affected while walking on a treadmill. METHOD: Participants included seventy-six healthy individuals assigned to sitting (n = 39; 17 female) or treadmill walking (n = 37; 23 female) conditions. Participants completed the Paced Auditory Serial Attention Task (PASAT) as a measure of attention and working memory while either walking or sitting. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: A Group x Time ANOVA on PASAT errors showed a main effect of group (p = .03), with those in the treadmill group committing significantly more errors than those in the sitting group on trials two (2.0 seconds) and four (1.2 seconds; ps < .03). The Group x Time interaction overall, however, was not significant (p = .26) as both groups significantly made more errors as the PASAT speed increased (p < .001). DISCUSSION: There were significant overall differences in PASAT performance between participants in sitting and walking groups. Findings suggest treadmill walking may facilitate decreased ability to hold in mind and rapidly process information. Thus, although treadmill desks may have health benefits, performance on speeded and complex attention tasks may be impacted.

Phillip Smith, Brigham Young University Social and Biological Sciences Over the last few decades the field of Neuroscience has opened up our understanding of human behavior. One of these behaviors is understanding what goes on with the human brain while an individual is undergoing a spiritual experience. The purpose of this study is to show how prayer, meditation, or other forms of ritualistic worship can stimulate portions of the brain linked with clarity of mind, error detection, empathy, compassion, emotional balance, and the suppression of anger and fear. The routine observance of these practices can help with neuroplasticity and overall cognitive functions.

Emily Jordison, Weber State University Social and Behavioral Sciences Over the last thirty years, millions of dollars in federal funding has been poured into school districts across the nation to promote abstinence among young people. Lawmakers continue to fund abstinence-only education in hundreds of schools, although research has shown that abstinence-based platforms have a lower success rate in reducing teen pregnancies. This study will focus on the opinions of parents residing in Ogden. Currently, Ogden’s teen pregnancy rate is the fourth-highest in the state of Utah. With teens becoming sexually active at an earlier age now than in previous decades, it seems imperative to examine what is being taught in public schools regarding sexual health and how parents feel about it. This study aims to examine the parental attitudes regarding the sexual education being taught in schools in Ogden, Utah to see if the general opinion supports lawmakers’ decisions regarding the sex education policy or if there is a disparity between what parents want and what policy makers have put into place. Sexual education laws in Utah generally lean toward the conservative side; therefore, this study will attempt to broaden the understanding we have regarding how parents feel toward sexual education in schools. Currently, the literature suggests that parents are not happy with the sexual education their children are receiving, noting that it is not as comprehensive as they would prefer (McKay, 1998). A similar survey indicated that parents believe that they, along with health officials, should have more of a say in the sexual education that takes place in schools rather than politicians (Ito, 2006). Further research indicates that local policies overwhelmingly encourage an abstinence-only approach regarding sexual education in schools (Dailard, 2001). This study aims to contribute to the knowledge we have regarding parental attitudes toward the sexual education youth are receiving in schools in Ogden, Utah.

Kyle Haderlie, Utah State University Social and Behavioral Sciences Much has been written about the positive and negative influences of parents in sport and the mechanisms through which parents can enhance their involvement within youth sport contexts (e.g., Côté, 1999; Gould et al., 2006; Holt et al., 2009). Parents’ previous sporting experiences or sports knowledge is often identified as a factor that might influence the appropriateness of parental involvement youth sport (Bowker et al., 2006; Holt et al., 2008; Knight & Harwood, 2010). Further, children (and coaches) have indicated that parents’ own sporting experiences might alter the types of feedback or involvement children will actually accept from their parents (Knight et al., 2010; Knight et al., 2011). However, the specific ways in which parent experiences might influence their involvement in their children’s sport is relatively unknown. Developing an understanding of this relationship is necessary as researchers and practitioners aim to better understand the factors that influence positive and negative parental involvement. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine how parents’ previous sporting experiences influence their sport parenting style and practices. Specifically, this study sought to identify the influence of parents’ own experiences in sport (e.g., through their own youth sport participation), their experiences with children in sport (e.g., with older offspring), and their knowledge or understanding of sport (e.g., through education or coaching) on their present involvement. Open-ended survey data were collected from 102 mothers and fathers of children aged 6-18 in the USA, Canada, the UK, and Australia. Study data illuminate patterns of parent experiences that are consistent with authoritative sport parenting styles and adaptive practices (e.g., support), as well as patterns consistent with authoritarian parenting styles and less adaptive practices (e.g., pressure). Data hold the potential to inform both sport and family theory, as well as policy for parent involvement in organized youth sport.

David Anderson, Utah Valley University Social and Behavioral Sciences Purpose

Branden Nuttall, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences The Relationship Anxiety Test was developed to find a way to measure the level of Anxiety in Latter-day Saint (LDS) college aged individuals who are currently searching for a future companion. Research has suggested that relationship anxiety was higher in individuals who are currently looking for a future spouse. The goal of our test was to measure this anxiety in LDS individuals because it is believed that these individuals are under more pressure to find a spouse. The test was formatted by using a set of questions to measure the anxiety using two domains cognitive, and behavioral. The test was administered using Qualtrics and was distributed through email and Facebook. The results of the test are currently being measured and will be available within the next month.

Anthony Hoffman, Utah Valley University Social and Behavioral Sciences During World War II, the Germans occupied two places that have often been overlooked in the history books since: Guernsey in the Channel Islands and the nation of Denmark. Both are strikingly similar in terms of World War II history and overall treatment by the Germans. In contrast, both are strikingly dissimilar in terms of reaction to the Germans, treatment of each other, treatment of other minority groups within their own countries, etc. It is the similarity that provides the ability for these two places to be compared, which in turn provides a context for the dissimilarity to be studied within. The bulk of information for this research comes from the written histories about those countries during World War II, as well as available individual and personal accounts within each group such as diaries, histories, memoirs, etc. The framework that will be used for interpreting the dissimilarities will take a psychological/social psychological approach, drawing on works from researchers such as Milgram, Darley, Latane, and Shergill, to name a few. The focus of this research is centered on the following question: why do people in very similar circumstances have drastically different reactions? It is expected that this research will shed more light on the reasons for why one individual or group of people reacts one way under bad circumstances, while another individual or group under the same circumstances reacts differently. A better understanding of this phenomenon can help individuals, groups, and nations know how to best help those suffering in the world both today and in the future.

Tammy Zundel, Utah Valley University Social and Behavioral Sciences Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGID’s) are a family of digestive disorders that affects a patient’s physical, mental and social well-being. Because some patients are forced to eliminate all foods from their diet, many patients miss out on holiday meals, birthday cakes, and other social events. Patients with severe cases may depend on steroids and the strict use of medical nutrition therapy, such as elemental formula. Elemental formula describes a liquid diet that contains all the necessary nutrients for a complete diet made up of proteins broken down into their amino acid form, making it easier for the body to digest and absorb. Though elemental formula literally saves lives and is the most effective treatment used for those who have failed other treatment options, insurance companies are not required to cover its high costs. Families without insurance coverage are left struggling to pay for this prescribed treatment out-of-pocket. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to explore the financial and emotional costs associated with not having access to a prescribed treatment. Data was collected during an in person interview and the administration of a survey containing standard demographic questions related to age, gender, marriage, income, work status, and education level. Also included were closed-ended questions related to the patient’s diagnosis, elemental formula use, and amount of money spent out of pocket for non-covered medical needs. Several open-ended questions focusing on the financial and emotional impact associated with not having access to elemental formula as a prescribed treatment were included. The results will be used to educate health care providers and promote further research into the issue.

Jonathan Latham, Utah Valley University Social and Behavioral Sciences Introduction: Guatemala has been subject to dictatorial regimes, crimes against humanity, civil war, and genocide. There are nearly 30 million people in need of prosthetics worldwide; two percent currently have access to appropriate prosthetic care. To combat this debilitating issue in Guatemala, Utah Valley University’s Mobility Mission (UVU-MM) travels once a year to manufacture high-quality, low-cost prosthetic legs for individuals in need. For two weeks, Julio Fuentes, Certified Prosthetist & Orthotics (CPO) lends his clinic, equipment, time, and expertise to UVU-MM. The goal of this research is to identify patterns, themes, concerns, and trends among amputees to secure their future well-being.

Morgan Williams, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences My research intends to answer the question, are the youth today more polarized than they were 25 years ago, and does increased polarization in youth attitudes lead to a higher percentage turnout among youth voters. This is an important area to research because elected officials have never been more polarized on both sides of the ideological scale. It is important to examine possible causes for this polarization, one of which is that these elected officials are catering to the attitudes of the emerging youth voters, causing them to take more polarized stances. Polarization in this research will mean that the divide between the two core ideologies, liberal and conservative has grown wider. This will be measured by looking at an individual’s placement on the ideological scale, if they are liberal learning they will be classified and liberal and the same applies for the conservatives. I will then compare these two groups and there stance on certain issues, such as government spending and abortion, overtime to see if the divide has grown larger. I will be using the American National Election Studies data set to look at youth voting patterns and attitudes from the 1988 presidential election until the 2012 presidential election. I will be defining a youth voter as a voter between the age of 18-29, meaning they could have voted in no more than 2 presidential elections. This research will be done in January and February of 2014, therefore the results of this research are not currently available. I hypothesize that the polarization in the youth voting bloc has not grown wider over time, but fluctuated throughout the years. I also hypothesize that years with a higher level of polarization will lead to a higher turnout among the youth.

Caitlin Lagasse, Utah State University Social and Behavioral Sciences In many instances, child labor is a way to exploit the cheap labor a child has to offer. Although in many situations, the exploitation of child labor is not normally the case, such as families living in a developing country. What individuals raised in Western cultures fail to realize is that in some nations and for some families, child labor is a necessary resource to survive, children act as an exceptional resource in these situations. Without the extra income a child could make working in the fields, on the street, or the diamond mines, the family would suffer. Families in developing countries do not have the same luxuries that already developed countries can afford. Without the full knowledge of the detrimental effects, developed countries attempt to superimpose child labor restrictions on countries. Western societal norms differ from countries around the world; our parental views of childhood are far from the reality of parents in developing nations. Furthermore, children face difficulties outside the exploitation of labor, such as slavery, prostitution, malnutrition and low educational standards. The dilemma to send their child to school or work is an ongoing daily battle for parents, even though the families are aware that the schools are an ineffective way of educating their children. All of those situations are the reality of the lives of children living in a developing country. Even though, the money that they make on a day’s wage is small, and generally smaller than that of an adult, it is still more money than they would have been able to make on the street, selling drugs or sex trafficking.

Jarrod Call, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Homelessness is a critical issue affecting a wide portion of the population. As municipalities continue to struggle with the implications of homelessness, researchers are interested in gauging prejudicial attitudes toward homeless people. Assessing current attitudes towards homeless people is a critical first step in beginning to enact positive social change to help mitigate the effects of homelessness. Current inventories used for assessing attitudes towards homelessness, particularly the Attitudes Towards Homeless Inventory (ATHI), are outdated and fail to examine behavioral indications of prejudicial attitudes. This study seeks to rectify these shortcomings by creating an enduring, reliable, and valid measure that encompasses both cognitive and behavioral aspects and which will provide consistency for further research. Our inventory, the Evaluation of Attitudes on Homelessness (EAH), consists of 10 items that measure negative cognitions and avoidance behaviors in order to ascertain current prejudicial attitudes. The test was administered online to a convenience sample of 211 participants who responded to items using a six-point Likert scale. Statistical analysis was completed and the reliability and validity of the inventory was assessed. Preliminary results suggest that the EAH inventory is a reliable and valid method for measuring attitudes towards the homeless.

Helen Jones, Weber State University Social and Behavioral Sciences The events of the past often colors how observers interpret current events. Past interaction between two countries sometimes influences current events as well. Recently reported stories concerning United States agents spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel through information provided by Edward Snowden (Cohen, 2013) from his exile in Russia impact three nations. The release of information concerning American actions regarding German chancellor by Russian exile Edward Snowden could be a link between current events and the trust issues of the past. The relationship between the United States and Germany could resolve in time because people are aware of the issue. The relationship between Germany and Russia relative to the information Snowden provided could also be difficult as Germany evaluates whether it can trust Russian leaders who granted Snowden exile. The interaction between German and Russian leaders prior to and during World War II had a trust issue. The pact between Germany and Russia in 1939 was an attempt to keep the battle focused on one front for the Nazis. For Russian leader, Josef Stalin, the pact was a way to delay Russian force deployment in the event of world war. The Nazi invasion of Russia in June 1941 violated the trust Josef Stalin placed in the pact signed with Adolph Hitler. This misplaced trust blurred the vision of the Russian leader when advised of the Nazi presence on the western Russian border. Russia had many resources Hitler wanted bad enough to break the treaty with Stalin. The experience between Germany and Russia during World War II illustrate how important trust becomes between countries, leaders, and people. Tom Cohen, “Top Senator: Obama didn’t know of U.S. spying on German’s leader,” CNN, October 29, 2013, http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/28/politics/white-house-stopped-wiretaps/ (accessed 10-30-2013).

Justin Curtis, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences The rise of political Islam, or Islamism, across the Muslim world, since the Islamic Revolution in Iran, continues to mystify researchers. While there has been considerable debate about the causes and effects of this discourse, researchers have been unable to operationalize Islamism. This study serves two main purposes: 1. It serves as a description of the founder of modern political Islam, Ayatollah Khomeini, as a populist and an Islamist and, 2. It provides an operational definition for Islamism based on textual analysis. In the wake of ground-breaking work on populism in Latin America that analyzed political speeches using a holistic grading approach to textual analysis to quantify discourse, this study uses the same technique and adds a new textual analysis method for Islamist discourse. These two quantitative methods serve as the basis for a qualitative analysis of the relationship between populism and political Islam in the speeches and declarations of Ayatollah Khomeini from 1963-1983. This analysis reveals insights into the modern used of Islamism and demystifies its origins by placing it within the ethos of populism.

James Westwood, Utah Valley University Social and Behavioral Sciences The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expects young adult males to serve a religious mission, and gives young women the same option. Those who choose to serve, do so for two years if male, and 18 months if female. Occasionally, some return home prior to the full term of service due to unforeseen medical, mental health, or adjustment-related issues. Many who return early perceive themselves as failures, ostracized and unfairly judged. This phenomenological study explores the experiences of these young men, gains an understanding from their perspective, and provides helpful insight and understanding to church members, church leaders and clinicians who work with this population.

Patricia Dirks, Weber State University Social and Behavioral Sciences While much research has evaluated depression, metacognition, and automatic thoughts through various measurement techniques and within various disciplines, no research to date has explored the relationship between the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI), Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Negative (ATQ-N), and the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Positive (ATQ-P). The purpose of this study is remedy this gap and to examine the relationship and interaction between depression, thoughts, and metacognitive processes, and to assess if these factors are valid and significant predictors for participants’ ability to correctly predict and postdict exam performance. Participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire that includes the BDI-II, MAI, ATQ-N, and the ATQ-P. Participants will also complete prediction and postdiction questions on introductory psychology exams throughout the semester where they will be asked to first declare the score they predict they will receive on the exam they are about to take, and then state what score they believed they received after having completed the exam but prior to receiving the score from the instructor. The relationship between the accuracy of these pre and post-dictions will be analyzed in relationship to the results of each individual participant determined through the questionnaire data. It is expected that students with moderate to severe depression will be less accurate on performance estimations and participants who score higher in metacognitive awareness will be more accurate in their performance estimations than those with lower scores. We also hypothesize that no relationship will be found between positive/negative automatic thoughts and the accuracy of performance estimations.

Mary Cook, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Traditional western practices in marriage and family therapy rest on a foundation of protecting the union between husband and wife. While relevant methods for couples may be extremely valuable, certain cultural dynamics call for a more family-integrated method to approaching issues in a marriage. This study serves as a person-centered ethnography geared toward understanding the kinship-oriented ideology upon which Hmong women tend to base their decisions to commit to their marriages. One in-depth case study serves as a framework for the evaluation of these factors; supporting evidence is brought in from two other case studies. All three women (one divorced, one separated, and one cohabiting with the husband and second wife) decided to remain committed to polygynous husbands (although in one case, the husband chose to leave) primarily concerning reasons involving their children’s relationships to their clans, ritual practices and ontological foundations of belief. Throughout the course of the interviews, the prevailing notion was that within the traditional Hmong kinship system, children benefit more from remaining in close proximity and emotional contact with the patrilineal clan to promote functional relationships and learn clan-specific ancestral practices. In these cases, the well-being of the children becomes a greater factor in a woman’s decision to remain married to a polygynous husband, as opposed to the relationship between husband and wife. In addition, the concept of karma plays a major role in Hmong women’s beliefs about their station in life and marriage. These culturally grounded influences play a large role in Hmong women’s commitment to marriage and should be incorporated into therapeutic models in addition to more couple-oriented practices.

Robert Bischoff, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Five seasons of excavation by BYU at the ancient Fremont site Wolf Village, located in what is now Goshen Utah, have exposed a large village with many unusual features, foremost of which was the discovery of the largest known Fremont pit structure. Unusually large structures have been interpreted as central gathering places for the community and the locations of intraregional trade fairs. An examination of trade goods (specifically painted pottery, obsidian, and Olivella shell beads) found in this structure compared to the trade goods found in a different residential structure in Wolf Village sheds further light on the nature of communal structures and the nature of exchange among the Fremont, by providing additional evidence of Fremont trade fairs and community architecture.

Carolina Silva, Westminster College Social and Behavioral Sciences This study was a preliminary study to a larger project in the coming fall. The larger study aims at finding influential variables on acculturation and their relationship to the academic achievement of immigrant adolescents. In the pilot study two acculturation measures were assessed on a small sample of immigrant youth to ensure the effectiveness of the measures on immigrant adolescents. The two scales used were the Acculturation Habits and Interest Multicultural Scale for Adolescents (AHIMSA) and the Stephenson Multigroup Acculturation Scale (SMAS). Both scales were selected due to their use of Berry’s model and focus on acculturation across groups. The scales were administered to 15 adolescents, and a discussion was held in order to receive input of the participants’ reception of the measures. Participants were asked to give feedback on the scale’s wording, suitability of format, timing and clarity of statements. This information was analyzed for themes which will be used in the following study.

Grace Hanley, University of Utah Social and Behavioral Sciences The purpose of this study is to examine how engaging in various Eastern practices affects people’s perceptions of their negative experiences and themselves. Yoga is a practice intended to enhance the overall well-being of practitioners through held poses, mindful breathing, and meditation. Yoga (“yuj”), in the original Sanskrit language, means “union,” and explicitly acknowledges the mind-body connection that is at the root of the Eastern practice. This very notion conveys the main theme of this psychological project: that mind-body practice can influence how individuals mentally process and narrate their difficult experiences from the past. Specifically, such practices could result in increased exploration, growth, and positive resolution in such narratives, compared to more neutral conditions. The study is split up into two parts: in the first part, depending on random assignment, subjects are asked to participate in one of four possible 10-15 minute activities: a yoga sequence, an exercise regime, a meditation, or watching a series of neutral pictures. In the second part of the experiment, subjects are asked to recall and narrate three types of life events: two transgressions, two victimizations, and two life turning points. Afterwards, participants are asked to complete several questionnaires about themselves regarding well-being, self-compassion, forgiveness, and interoceptive awareness. After data collection, stories are then coded for instances of emotional exploration, perceived growth, and resolution. It is hypothesized that yoga and meditation conditions will result in increased instances of these constructs as opposed to the physical and mental control conditions.

Kyle Durfee, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences To promote Self-Reliance, Eagle Condor Humanitarian teaches impoverished communities classes designed to increase their self-reliance in their families, community, and their businesses. This study evaluated what the participants understand, how well they participate in the classes, how well they apply the things they learn, and how well the facilitators teach the program. The community members hold different desires for their future than what Eagle Condor seems to want for their participants, and the participants perceive their obstacles to success as being primarily financial matters rather than things that can be resolved through better understanding and training. Literacy and mathematics problems also hinder the ability of the participants to understand the content received in the classes, all suggesting that Eagle Condor may need to adjust its program, or find populations that can capitalize on its current program offerings more effectively. Participants also struggle to apply the concepts taught, usually as a result of not understanding how to do them, or that they should do them at all. Participants tend to participate well in the classes when they come, but generally miss large portions of the instruction due to tardiness. The facilitators teach the program well, but the current teaching curriculum structure (called the FAMA technique for a process that runs through teaching Facts, Associations, Meaning, and Action) is designed on a more exploratory solution than the rigid and organized structure of Eagle Condor’s program. Overall, a more clearly defined holistic strategy built around either participants or the program may increase Eagle Condor’s efficacy in increasing the levels of self-reliance within the communities that Eagle Condor works.

Erik Lovell, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences This project reports on an investigation of the social mechanisms that constrain or aid goal formation and work motivation among homeless populations. We utilize theoretical insights from organizational behavior to add to a long tradition of research on the persistence of homelessness. The few studies that do use the goal formation literature to understand homelessness generally focus on individual rather than structural constraints. Our unique contribution is in evaluating work motivation from the perspectives of homeless persons and what they experience as limiting or aiding in formulating and achieving their goals.

Melanie Long, Westminster College Social and Behavioral Sciences While differences in hourly earnings between men and women have frequently been investigated in gender economics, the gender gap in unemployment rates has received less attention. According to much of the existing research, the reduction in the unemployment rate differential between the genders over the past 30 years indicates that gender no longer plays a significant role in employment outcomes. This regression analysis evaluated that claim using microeconomic data from the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Panel data regressions were conducted to establish whether women are subject to more weeks of unemployment in a year than men and whether this difference represents the influence of direct and indirect (i.e., societal) gender discrimination. After accounting for women’s decisions to drop out of the labor force, the regression output indicates that direct gender discrimination against women may no longer play a significant role in employment outcomes. However, there is evidence that societal pressures continue to encourage women to quit work in response to unemployment more readily than men. These findings speak to the complex gender dynamics that persist in the American labor market despite measures to ensure equal employment opportunities and suggest that unemployment rates alone are insufficient to fully understand those dynamics.

Benjamin Hardy, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Researchers of gratitude have typically discussed gratitude as a one-dimensional construct. Gratitude journaling has been shown to enhance well-being (e.g., Emmons & McCullough, 2003), an inherent characteristic of this method is that frequently there is no clear benefactor identified in its entries. This type of impersonal gratitude has been termed generalized gratitude (Lambert, Graham, & Fincham, 2009). Conversely, benefit-triggered gratitude (Lambert et al.) refers to gratitude felt toward a particular benefactor.

Cory Pettit, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate how stress affects performance monitoring, specifically the error-related negativity (ERN) component of the event-related potential (ERP). To produce stress, we used the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST), which elicits a stress response confirmed by cortisol measurements. We hypothesized that increased state levels of social stress would increase ERN amplitudes.

Erin Martin, Weber State University Social and Behavioral Sciences There is a rise in the use of drugs and alcohol in college students across the nation. College students are becoming dependent on drugs long after the books have closed and college students have tossed the caps, turned in their gowns, and received their diplomas. The purpose of the study is to determine at what rate is the use of drugs and alcohol being experimented within college dorm rooms. Furthermore, this study will discover whether a person’s gender plays a role a determining if college students are more likely to experiment with drugs or alcohol, because they live in campus dorms. The method of this study is a survey at Weber State University. I will be looking at two different populations, those who live on campus at Weber State University and those who live off campus. I will survey students living in University Village, those in classrooms and those around campus. When the responses come back, the responses are going to be divided by those who live in the college dorms and those who live off campus. They will be further separated by male and female, in order to determine which group is more likely to experiment with alcohol and drugs. My hypotheses is that Weber State University has a smaller housing option for students than most other universities and being a commuter school, the results will be different from those found in other studies. There might not be a large problem of illegal drug abuse at Weber State University; however, you will see abuse in alcohol and prescription drugs.

Eleanor Golightly, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences This project seeks to better understand the underlying model that motivates parental behaviors. Parents seem to be motivated by an equity constraint, meaning a desire to devote equal amounts of time and money resources at each point in time to each child, even though these children may vary in age and ability. We hope to identify trends in parents who engage in unequal allocations to better understand why such behavior occurs and which children benefit and which are disadvantaged. As growing evidence suggests that happiness is influenced not only by what one has, but also by how much one has in comparison to those around them, this study could give important insight into children happiness. We have compiled data on private school enrollment, a measure of a financial resource that is at times allocated unequally among children in the home, and time spent reading to children. We will perform regression analysis employing fixed effects for this project.

Benjamin Hardy, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Informed by I3 theory, three studies examine whether engagement in extradyadic behavior is related to aggressive behaviors. It is hypothesized that extradyadic behavior is related to heightened aggression toward a romantic partner. Study 1 (n=97) tested the relationship between extradyadic behavior and anger and found that acts of extradyadic behavior were related to increased use of anger words when describing a recent transgression of a relationship partner. Study 2 (n=72) tested the relationship between extradyadic behavior and aggressive behavior during an interaction. It was found in Study 2 that reports of extradyadic behavior were linked to hostility, criticism, and frustration expressed to a relationship partner. Study 3 (n=99) longitudinally examined the relationship between extradyadic behavior and aggression, and found that extradyadic behavior at Time 1 predicted aggression toward a relationship partner at Time 2, controlling for initial aggressive behavior. Study 4 (n=473) again longitudinally examined the relationship between extradyadic behavior and aggression using a larger sample and longer time frame of twelve weeks and found that extradyadic behavior at Time 1 predicted aggression toward a relationship partner at Time 2, controlling for initial aggressive behavior.

Benjamin Hardy, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Most approaches to education are done with the teacher giving information to the students, with the teacher having the knowledge and “filling” the empty glasses of the students understanding with knowledge. Although this approach is conventional and has its benefits, a “flipped classroom approach” recognizes the student’s unique abilities and gifts of expounding and teaching aspects of given topics in a synergistic form far beyond what the teacher could do alone. Thus, in a “flipped classroom,” the teacher would give each student assignments to teach as well as using the art of questions to allow the students to become the teachers.

Daniel Simmons, Weber State University Social and Behavioral Sciences Too often young citizens (18-29) are ignored or discarded as an unimportant constituency by politicians due to the fact that youth do not vote in a consistent or significant manner. However, when the youth do turnout at the polls, their impact can be significant and can change the dynamics of political campaigning very quickly, as we saw recently with the success of Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012.

Garrett Nagaishi, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Ottobah Cugoano, one of the many black voices from the eighteenth-century Atlantic world, professed that he and millions of other slaves “look for our help and sure deliverance to come from God Most High” (Ottobah Cugoano, Thoughts and Sentiments, 144) Cugoano’s zeal was not unique – many black writers in Europe and the Americas likewise found peace in religious devotion that transcended geographical and cultural boundaries. Yet despite the promises of salvation and peace that religion offered to its followers, slaves were constantly forced to reconcile an uncomfortable reality: that the religion which they literally clung to for dear life was the same faith that their unmerciful masters professed. How were slaves able to come to terms with the blatant shortcomings of religious rhetoric? And for the slave who was not born into Christianity, what kind of connection did he form with his new religion that enabled him to see past the ironies? My paper suggests that the very nature of Christianity presupposed the fallibility of human nature and encouraged the most abject person to rise above adversity with hope in Jesus Christ. For those slaves who were not born into the religion, their close contact and interaction with Christian slaves created a support system among slaves which was based on Christian theology. Furthermore, many slaves crossed the infamous Middle Passage during their infancy and youth, an impressionable period of life, which would have enabled Christianity to more readily appeal to the slave’s psyche. Thus, for many slaves in the eighteenth century, sinful masters and hypocritical evangelists were not seen as a stumbling block to faith; rather, they confirmed the necessity of Christian faith as God’s prescribed method for overcoming an otherwise miserable existence.

Jared Cline, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Our primary purpose was to explore the association between characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)-known as the Broader Autism Phenotype (BAP)-and college major choice. The reason this is important is because students with the BAP sometimes have debilitating characteristics similar to ASD, but don’t qualify for academic accommodation. By exploring the relationship between major choice and the BAP prevalence, we may be able to help educate instructors and institutions to be aware of majors with elevated numbers of individuals with the BAP. In turn, we hope this will help allow those individuals to receive needed academic help. Our secondary purpose was to correlate the two separate measures we used to assess the BAP. To assess the BAP we used the well known Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and the relatively newer Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ). Because the BAPQ is a relatively new measure with promising preliminary psychometric properties, we decided to further test its convergent validity with the AQ in order to confirm its purported soundness.

Braden Hancock, Brigham Young University Engineering In Evolutionary Multi-objective Optimization (EMO), the mechanism of epsilon-dominance has received a lot of attention because of its ability to guarantee convergence near the Pareto frontier and maintain diversity among solutions at a reasonable computational cost. The main weakness of this mechanism is its inability to also identify and exploit knee regions of the Pareto frontier, which are frequently the regions of the frontier that are most interesting to the user. Many attempts have been made to resolve this issue, but each has resulted in either decreased computational efficiency or slower convergence. We therefore propose a new mechanism – Lamé-dominance – as a replacement for epsilon-dominance in EMO. The geometry of the Lamé curve naturally supports a greater concentration of solutions in directions of high tradeoff between objectives. This adaptable resolution of solutions in knee regions of the Pareto frontier will result in significant savings in time and money for complex optimization routines in large n-objective design scenarios.

Raymond Bilodeau, Brigham Young University Engineering Extreme piezoresistivity was discovered in a silicone/nickel nanostrand (silicone/NiNs) nanocomposite. A quantum mechanical tunneling percolation model has been developed which bridges the gap between quantum effects at the nanoscopic scale and bulk material response at the macroscopic scale. To further improve on this theory, a measurement technique was adapted for use in measuring the average distance (in nm) between the NiNs in the silicone matrix. The measurements produced strong correlation to newly developed theories on the nature of the nickel-silicone interaction. The predictions of the previously developed model were also compared to these new experimental measurements and the model is being adapted to more accurately represent the real data.

David Lindell, Brigham Young University Engineering Current ion detector technologies require low pressures and temperatures to achieve high sensitivity. These extra constraints result in bulky or expensive ion detection units and make a highly-portable mass spectrometer difficult or impractical to produce. A new ion detector technology that is unhampered by such constraints would allow the construction of miniaturized mass spectrometers. Such devices would have a myriad of potential applications, including use in space probes, on-site chemical weapon analyses, and in-field forensics. This research has produced solid-state ion detection devices with detection levels in the hundreds-of-ions range. The detectors are produced on a printed circuit board, are inexpensive, and are functional at room temperature and pressure. Solid-state detection capabilities were realized by adopting concepts from modern non-volatile (flash) memory and using custom-made low capacitance MOSFETs. Detection occurs as ions impact a Faraday cup and charge the gate of a MOSFET, yielding a voltage change in the circuit. In addition to refinements made by incorporating low-capacitance MOSFETs, commercial MEMS switches (which have only recently become available) are used to produce ion counts at rates up to 30 kHz. Amplification and filtering circuitry has also been added to further increase sensitivity levels. Results of this research show that ion detectors can be reduced in size and complexity, making a portable mass spectrometer more viable.

Anthony Bennett, Brigham Young University Engineering Foot Mouth Disease is considered to be the greatest hindrance to livestock trade in the world. The disease is extremely contagious and can transmit via aerosol, food scraps, and through blood, and tears among other transmission routes [1]. Currently, technological challenges hinder eradication efforts due to a wide variety of FMD strains, high vaccine production costs, as well as limited efficacy of vaccines across strains [2]. The countries most affected by the disease also face economic, social, and political challenges to disease eradication. Based upon historical evidence disease eradication has proven to be possible as shown in the US, the UK, and other countries [3]. In this presentation, we highlight these challenges and propose various routes to eradication in order to open up economic opportunities to developing countries as well as eliminating the threat of a disease outbreak in countries currently free of the disease. Morgan, E.R., et al., Assessing risks of disease transmission between wildlife and livestock: The Saiga antelope as a case study. Biological Conservation, 2006. 131(2): p. 244-254. Parida, S., Vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease virus: strategies and effectiveness. 2009. Perry, B. and K. Sones, Poverty reduction through animal health. Science, 2007. 315.

Bradley Hackett, Utah Valley University Engineering The Arduino microcontroller is very robust and is capable of performing a wide variety of functions to fit the needs of almost countless different projects. Many robots that are being built use a microcontroller, and the Arduino microcontroller is a good fit for many robots. The microcontroller is also standardized so it can be learned easily, and maintained easily as well, especially in a team environment. The simplicity of the Arduino offers a much more accessible design and development environment. This environment allows for very complex projects such as robotics to be approached in a manageable way. The SERA Bot is a robot which is designed efficiently and yet still has complexity, using the Arduino microcontroller. The S.E.R.A Bot is an acronym which stands for Searching Exploring Roaming Autonomous robot. The first task this robot can do is to communicate over Bluetooth to an Android tablet or phone to remotely control the robot by driving the motors or sending command signals to the Arduino microcontroller. The next task it is capable of is to use Light Dependant Resistors or LDRs to follow a light source or find the most brightly illuminated area of a room. The third task is object avoidance which is implemented using a simple ultrasonic distance sensor to detect if there is an object close in front of the robot. The last function of this robot is the ability to locate a beacon which emits a loud detectable sound, and is implemented using three amplified condenser microphones. The purpose behind this project is mainly to incorporate many simple functions to one robot. Many robots do one simple task, but the focus is to create a versatile robot, with enough complexity to be useful, but simple enough to be efficient.

Zola Adjei, Brigham Young University Engineering The research project is aimed at developing a tool to monitor the progress of rehabilitation efforts in Lake Malheur in Harney count, Oregon. The application of remote sensing techniques, which will be used to detect chlorophyll-a distribution from water algae growth in the lake. Concentrations of chlorophyll-a act as an indicator for algal blooms, which compete for nutrients and oxygen and can have significant detrimental effects on a body of water. To better identify the trend in growth activities of algal colonies, remote sensing will be effective in developing a model to map the path and region of high activities of algal growth and subsequently monitoring fish habitation on the entire Malheur Lake. The method uses satellite images which measure the reflectance of pigment concentrations, which can then be quantified as concentrations of chlorophyll-a using appropriate software and algorithms. The algorithms are based on relationships between the chlorophyll-a concentration measured in-situ and the reflectance measured in the satellite images. The algorithm that would be tested relies on the ratio of suitable bands in the electromagnetic spectrum. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife services have set preliminary actions by taking chlorophyll measurements earlier this year that will be used to help draw the relationship between the measured and satellite derived chlorophyll-a concentrations. There exists a research group in the Civil and Environmental engineering department that have employed this process on the Deer Creek lake in Utah and other surrounding water bodies which has shown successful outcomes in monitoring these lake’s water quality parameters including chlorophyll-a to help support the survival of fishes, restore their habitats and preserve cultural history. There will be a comparison done to the performance of remote sensing models in a large, shallow lake in Oregon, compared to models developed in deep, narrow lakes.

Stephanie Mitts, Weber State University Engineering The recent development of rainwater harvesting (RWH) as a local government and individual property owner solution to stormwater management and water supply has led to a wide array of individual program implementations across the country. RWH involves collecting stormwater runoff, storing it and applying it for beneficial reuse or release at a controlled rate. Decreased need of freshwater withdrawals reduces hydrology based energy consumption and protects ecosystems, potentially making RWH a more sustainable and efficient practice than centralized water supply. The goal of this research project was to compile and analyze the national trends for local government urban rainwater harvesting program policy. A survey was created and administered to RWH managers across the country to collect U.S. policy information. This report contains information to be used as a guide for local governments and other institutions considering implementing a program to promote RWH.

Shana Black, University of Utah Engineering Goals: The pudendal nerve (PN) was targeted in attempt to create controlled micturition via intrafascicular electrical stimulation (IES) following the onset of surgically induced incontinence. We investigated both the effectiveness of unilateral and bilateral transection of the PN in creating a model of urinary incontinence and the ability of IES of efferent fibers to excite the external urethral sphincter (EUS) in order to restore a controlled voiding pattern. High Density Utah Electrode Arrays (HD-USEAs) were used to provide IES in these studies.

Jake Seiter, University of Utah Engineering Mining has always been among the most hazardous of occupations, and with the increasing demand for coal and minerals, safety in mines assumes even greater importance. Worldwide, underground miners are being exposed to noise and respirable dust hazards associated with roof bolt drilling. These hazards are now being understood to cause irreparable damage to the health of miners.

Christopher Hutchings, Brigham Young University Engineering The biocatalysis industry has been rapidly expanding due to the fact that there has been a greater demand for ecologically friendly manufacturing processes. The benefit of biocatalytic systems is that it enables stereo-, chemo-, and regio- specificity in chemical manufacturing. This in turn reduces wasteful byproducts from chemical manufacturing. This is especially valuable in industries where removal of chemically similar but physically harmful waste products is essential. The problem with the traditional biocatalytic processes is that they are hindered from limitations in areas such as enzyme stability, leaching, recoverability, and reusability. These limitations significantly impede the cost-effectiveness of biocatalysis for industrial applications. The processes of enzyme immobilization like adsorption, entrapment, and other such forms of immobilizations provide improvements such as stability, recoverability, and reusability. Though they provide improvements they also go through enzyme leaching, complicated or even toxic conjugation procedures and have a lack of specificity to attachment location from. This ends in being counterintuitive and defeats the purpose of enzyme immobilization. It is here we start to build upon the recent advancements in unnatural amino acid and incorporating them into enzymes to demonstrate a biocompatible and covalent enzyme immobilization process that improves protein stability and enables attachment orientation control. This system we refer to as the Protein Residue-Explicit Covalent Immobilization for Stability Enhancement or PRECISE system, and it permits the covalent attachment of enzymes at potentially any location on the enzyme onto a surface. Using this process, we create reusable enzymes that are more stable and more resistant to harsh conditions. We have also concluded from this process that there is no leaching and increased stability from immobilization with the enzyme with satisfactory results in enzyme activity.

Jeffery Nielson, Brigham Young University Engineering Annually, 500,000 US inhabitants suffer from end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Allogeneic transplantation struggles with few donors and the high risk of organ rejection. Decellularized kidneys reseeded with autologous cells present a promising solution. Proposed decellularization methods require long times or high flow rates that may damage extracellular matrices’ (ECMs’) native architecture and lead to implantation thrombosis. We aim to optimize decellularization to preserve ECM integrity for subsequent recellularization and reimplantation.

Michael Borgholthaus, Brigham State University Engineering This paper seeks to demonstrate the simulated gain characterization of MOS transistors in different regions of channel inversion on silicon. In the weak region of MOSFET inversion a constant value of gain is observed. When current is increased and the device determined to be strongly inverted the gain falls off with the square of k/L from this constant gain. Between the weak and strong inversion regions is the moderate inversion region. In the moderate inversion region the gain rises above the constant weak inversion value before falling off as the channel becomes strongly inverted. If biased to low or moderate inversion, amplifying circuits can achieve higher gain performance at low currents than could be achieved in the typical strong inversion region.

Christopher Burns, Brigham Young University Engineering People around the world suffer from degenerative diseases of the retina that can eventually lead to blindness, including age-related macular degeneration. The human retina does not regenerate spontaneously, increasing the severity and long-term effects of these diseases. Currently, a highly-successful treatment for degenerative diseases of the retina doesn’t exist. Some attempts at retinal regeneration have slowed or stopped degeneration (Lanza). However, restoration of sight to its pre-diseased state requires regeneration of retinal tissue, not simply impedance of degeneration.

Cameron Bell, Brigham Young University Engineering 72-hour emergency kits are often inadequately equipped; they lack means to treat water or cook food, compromising chances of survival in an extended critical situation. Dr. Jones and I aim to develop a foldable, lightweight biomass cookstove to solve this problem.

Daniel Smith, Brigham Young University Engineering Although it is known as a graceful sport, figure skating can take a serious toll on skaters’ bodies. Considering that figure skaters commonly train five days per week, with 50-100 jumps per day, it is not surprising that repetitive stress injuries are a serious issue in figure skating. Because the forces associated with these jumps are poorly understood (including their magnitudes, loading rate, and when they occur) training plans designed to prevent injury are incapable of preparing athletes to best avoid their negative effects.