2020 Abstracts

Jackson, Erin; Root, Jerry; Kelly, Jessen (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Root, Jerry (College of Humanities, Department of World Languages and Cultures) Kelly, Jessen (College of Fine Arts, Department of Art and Art History)

Approximately 250 extant manuscripts of the Romance of the Rose contain illuminations. The depicted scenes and motifs within these works follow established patterns, a notion that created several iconic scenes from the Romance that can be seen in nearly every illuminated manuscript. Issues of representation and interpretation of the Old French text come to light through the depictions in the images. Inversely, the conversation created between these aspects of the manuscripts emphasizes the ways in which the illuminations inform the understanding of the text. Scholarship focuses predominantly on the former of these visual-textual relationships, and considering the influence of the images on textual understanding will provide new insight into the creation of one of the most highly-produced manuscripts of the Medieval period. These relationships are examined through the depictions of the reoccurring Narcissus scene within the Romance. This research will result in the completion of an interdisciplinary Honors Thesis for both French and Art History. The Romance research focuses on the analysis of series of images throughout the manuscripts available in the Digital Library of Medieval Manuscripts run by John Hopkins University. This is accomplished through a combination of literary and art history approaches to form a more holistic understanding of the visual-textual relationship within the Romance of the Rose manuscripts.

Sommers, Taryn; Veon, Raymond (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Veon, Raymond (Caine College of the Arts, Art and Design Department)

A literature search of research and academic journals suggests that there are few critical examinations of LDS visual culture in visual culture research. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the types of gender roles portrayed in contemporary LDS visual culture, the visual codes used to represent these gender roles, and the degree to which the representations of gender used in LDS visual culture align with findings in related visual culture studies. The result of this study will be a description of the current visual strategies used by the LDS church to represent gender roles, a thematic analysis of these visual strategies, and suggestions for future research into the ways that the LDS church visually defines gender in relation to existing trends and themes in visual culture research. The scope will include: “Mormon Ads,” images used in the LDS magazine, “Ensign,” and conference memes used during the years 2016-2019. This will contribute to the field of visual culture and gender studies by examining the visual codes used by the LDS church to portray the role and status of males and females as represented in current LDS visual culture, determining the strategies used in these representations, and discussing the potential research implications of these findings in light of themes in visual culture gender studies. Some research questions are: What visual codes are used in the representation of males, females, and mixed-sex groups in current LDS visual culture? What types of roles and status do these visual codes convey pertaining to the representation of males, females, and mixed-sex groups in current LDS visual culture? What extent do the results of investigating the above research questions align with other research findings in gender and visual culture studies? The methods used in this research will be 1) an inventory of discrete visual codes (e.g. color use, affect/expression, clothing/dress, setting, etc.) used in the LDS visual culture samples, and 2) a separate thematic analysis of the sample will also be conducted. The results of both methods will be compared, analyzed, and discussed in light of current trends in visual culture gender research. While the results of this research are expected to demonstrate that LDS visual culture will emphasize and reinforce traditional gender roles of females as mothers and homemakers and males as leaders and providers, it is hoped that this study will reveal strategies related to gender role representation unique to LDS culture.

Froberg, Matthew (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Asparouhove, Elena (University of Utah, David Eccles School of Business (Finance))

This research examines two fundamental topics of economics: accuracy of prices and the effect of market participation on individuals. In particular, it asks how security structure affects price and allocational efficiency through the equilibration process.

Security structure is defined as the payoff correlation structure between tradable assets. Economists agree that the markets they are studying are in equilibrium and also that there are equilibration forces that will drive markets towards equilibrium if they are not already there (see, for example, Arrow and Hahn (1971)). There is much less agreement, however, on what these equilibration forces are. Furthermore, it is very difficult to learn about these driving forces through the analysis of historical data because not enough is known about the fundamentals (wealth, human capital, and preferences of individuals) of past markets. This represents a great opportunity for experimental finance, where markets can be created in a laboratory setting allowing researchers to know, control, and change the fundamentals of the markets they create. This research examines what asset structures yield the most efficient allocations as a result of imposed fundamentals. The trading platform is Continuous Double Auction and is implemented in a software called Flexemarkets (flexemarkets.com). The main hypothesis is that markets consisting of securities that correlate negatively will exhibit the highest allocational efficiency. Data collection with human traders will be collected in the months of November and December. Pilot sessions with humans suggest that negatively correlated assets aid price discovery but more data is needed to address allocational efficiency.

The question regarding asset structure and its effect on financial well-being is especially relevant given the increasing popularity of index funds (see Bogle (2016)), which are typically positively correlated. Results of the experiment could yield substantial policy implications concerning what types of security designs lead to optimal allocational outcomes.

Calzado Real, Tamara; Blair, Ariel; Tenney, Elizabeth (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Blair, Barbara "Ariel" (David Eccles School of Business, Management)

The purpose of this study is to understand how racial dissimilarity affects people of color's voice behavior in a student or class group. In a group where a person's social category is underrepresented, they become more aware of that social identity and their ability to perform at their full potential reduces because they are more focused on monitoring their performance and suppressing negative thoughts and feelings than improving group performance. However, in situations where people are more identified with the group, they are more likely to feel committed to or express themselves in a group. Additionally, in groups where people of color don't perceive themselves as different from all or most of the other group members, subgroups and division among team members is less likely to occur. In order for people of color to contribute in meaningful and innovative ways, having the confidence to speak up and express new ideas is crucial. We will run a survey where participants recall groups that they have been a part of and rank their voice (participation) in the group, their perceived racial dissimilarity of the group, and the importance of race on their personal identity. Afterwards, they will placed in an online student group chat with high or low dissimilarity and will be asked to reflect on their experiences. In line with previous research we expect that the importance of race on their personal identity will be positively related to perceived racial dissimilarity and therefore, we expect peoples' voice behaviors to decrease when they are in a group where racial dissimilarity is high.

Johnson, Hayden Allen; Harris, Laurie (Southern Utah University)
Faculty Advisor: Harris, Laurie (Southern Utah University, College of Science and Engineering)

Rural communities in Utah may be an excellent place for technology companies to expand. Many rural Utah communities face major problems with declining economies. Adding to the problem, median incomes in nine rural counties is $48,306 while the statewide median income is $62,961 (US Census Bureau, 2017). Rural areas seem to be an untapped well of potential to help both the state’s economy and tech companies themselves. This research explores how to effectively use that potential.

The object of this research is to identify needs and limitations that currently exist in rural communities that would prevent or could be seen as obstacles for technology industry to grow in these areas. Ongoing research being conducted is looking into the viability of technology companies being able to expand and/or start up in rural Utah by exploring if those areas are ready for the technology industry. Specifically, the research examines:

1. Current educational opportunities related to technology in rural area school systems.

2. Interest among potential workforce in technological fields.

3. Presence of skilled workforce in these rural areas.

4. Potential to form partnerships between higher education and high schools to offer better education and generate interest.

5. Infrastructure of rural areas to support growing technology industry.

Additionally, obstacles that are preventing these areas from being able to support technology industry are found and examined. This research constitutes the first step in helping bolster rural economies through an increase of jobs and industry into those areas. By conducting extensive research and getting in on the “front-lines” of the problem, current situations are more understood and potential suggestions are being developed.

Harrison, Jake; Romney, Alexander C. (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Romney, Alexander (Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Marketing and Strategy Department)

Narcissism in organizations is becoming increasingly prevalent, as evidenced by the growing number of CEOs that seek acclaim and dominance, often at the expense of others (Chatterjee, 2017). Narcissism is defined as "individuals for whom enhancing the positivity of the self (specifically, to achieve status and esteem) is overwhelmingly important" (Campbell, 2004), and most often wields a detrimental influence on organizations. Typically, narcissism within organizational leadership has shown to lead employees to view managers' behavior as self-serving, lowering perceptions of managerial trustworthiness and increasing the likelihood of employee silence (Hamstra, 2019). Additionally, scholars have empirically demonstrated that silence provokes specific emotions, with anger being a particularly common emotional consequence of silence (Kirrane, 2017). The main effect of narcissism seems to lie in a stronger arousal of anger (Laurenz, 2013), which in turn may energize employees to proactively change the situation (Lebel, 2016). Employees often generate awareness of specific dissatisfying aspects of work by means of prohibitive voice (Chamberlin, 2017), which emphasizes harmful, failing, or wrongful work practices or events that currently exist (Liang, 2012).
In this study, I hope to examine how a leader's narcissism could arouse anger in employees and energize them to engage in prohibitive voice. Specifically, I hypothesize that a higher level of anger derived from a narcissistic leader's actions will positively correlate to a higher frequency of employee voice.

Hypotheses:
1. Perceived managerial narcissism will relate positively to employee voice.
2. Perceived anger will mediate the relationship between managerial narcissism and employee voice.
3. Employee status will moderate the relationship between managerial narcissism and employee voice.

This study is aimed to contribute to our understanding of the correlation between leadership and employee voice. I will test these hypotheses by recruiting 200 full-time employees to complete a survey. No identifying information will be collected.

Arthur, Staci (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Biolowas, Anne (Weber State University, Communication)

The United States is home to a vast range of diverse people, however even though there is so much diversity in society the idea of beauty is pretty still very limited. Body image issues and discrimination are especially prevalent in minority groups including the plus size community. According to G.M. Eller fat people have a harder time obtaining jobs, college education, and just making a good impression on people than skinnier people solely based on their body size. These discriminations are argued to be deeply rooted in American culture and the best way Eller suggests to combat it is through educating people on the realities of obesity and not just the often harsh, outdated judgements. This paper is a textual analysis that utilizes Muted Group Theory in relation to the 2019 motion picture, Isn't It Romantic to unpack discrimination against the plus size community. Concepts from Muted Group Theory such as assimilation, separation, and accommodation are discussed. This paper argues that the movie is a positive step forward into making the plus size community's voice fall under the accommodation concept in Muted Group Theory rather than assimilation or separation especially in relationship to the dominant group in society.

Westover, Jonathan; Hardy, Danielle; Arvizu, Annie; Johnson, Jace; Powell, Spencer (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Westover, Jonathan (Woodbury School of Business, Academic Director, Center for Social Impact)

Purpose - The purpose of this presentation and paper is to explore work-life balance predictors of job satisfaction across various generations, using international sample of workers across 37 countries. The four generational cohorts included in the analysis include Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennial.

Design/methodology/approach: This study provides a comparative analysis of work-life balance indicators of overall job satisfaction across generational cohorts, utilizing data from the 2015 Work Orientations IV Wave of the International Social Survey Program (including stratified random samples of employees across 37 different countries).

Findings: Initial analyses indicate statistically significant differences in work-life balance related indicators of employee job satisfaction across generational cohorts. Additional analyses will be performed to clarify these relationships and further explore the causes behind the differences.

Originality/Value: While many studies have been performed on job satisfaction, very few studies have explicitly examined job satisfaction levels and its indicators across generations. Additionally, while many studies have examined the role of work-life balance saliency on job satisfaction across generational cohorts, and no research has previously been done examining these relationships cross-nationally.

Keywords Job satisfaction, Generational Differences, Work-life Balance, Cross-national

Purpose/Hypothesis:

We hope to supply statistical evidence that there are differences in the saliency and impacts of work-life balance variables on job satisfaction across generational cohorts. Specific hypotheses include:

H1: There are statistically significant differences in the mean scores of job satisfaction and work-life balance variables across generational cohorts.

H2: One's age (generational cohort grouping) has a positive statistically significant impact on job satisfaction.

H3: One's age cohort has a statistically significant impact on the determinants of job satisfaction.

H4: There are statistically significant cross-national differences in the impact of generational cohort on job satisfaction.

Perisse, Iuri Viotti; Fan, Zhiqian; Wang, Zhongde; Harris, Ann; White, Kenneth L.; Polejaeve, Irina A. (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: PoleJaeva, Irina (College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences; Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences Department)

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a recessive human genetic disease that is caused by mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene. This gene is responsible to transport Cl- and HCO3- anions in epithelial cells. Previously, we generated CFTR-/- lambs using CRISPR/Cas9 and SCNT techniques. The CFTR-/- lambs display many features similar to human CF disease, including meconium ileus (MI), pancreatic fibrosis, portal fibrosis and biliary hyperplasia, small gallbladder, and absence of vas deferens. In CF patients, MI affects only 15-20% of human babies, whereas it was observed in 100% of newborn CFTR-/- lambs and was the primary cause of death. We here hypothesized that the transgenic expression of the ovine CFTR cDNA under regulation of an intestinal-specific expression promoter would promote the correction of MI in CFTR-/- sheep. In this study, we are constructing three potential vectors with different promoters to be evaluated prior to the generation of transgenic animals. Rat intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein (iFABP), rat liver Fatty Acid Binding Protein (LFABP), and Villin1 promoters have already been characterized and successfully used for intestinal-specific expression. After digestion and ligation cloning, the three constructs will be sequenced to confirm the presence of all segments (promoter, cDNA, and vector) in the correct orientation. Subsequently, we plan to evaluate the transient gene expression of the constructs in CaCo-2 cells to ensure they are fully functional. Therefore, we will construct the pcDNA3.1>promoter>CFTR expression vector in order to generate intestine-CFTR transgenic CFTR-/- sheep.

Colbert, Jeffrey (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Schramm, Katherina (Weber State University, Botany); Hillbig, Bridgette (Weber State University, Botany); Walker, Edward (Weber State University, Chemistry)

Hemp is a multimillion-dollar industry; however, it is only grown in a few states in the US. In prehistoric time, there was a brackish lake that covered the valley of Utah�s Wasatch Front. Because of this lake and different drainage events, the soil chemistry and composition changed depending on the depth and salts concentration of the lake.
This study tested soils from three different locations along the Wasatch Front for their potential to support healthy growth of hemp plants. Mg, Ca, N, P, K concentrations were tested along with pH in soils from different geological strata. In an outdoor environment hemp was grown in five-gallon containers to determine if those soils will support hemp growth yielding high fiber content and quality. Potting soil was used as a control. The same soil characterization tests were conducted after the plants were harvested to show what amendments are needed for a successful crop in following seasons. Mature plants� inflorescences were tested for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and cannabidiol (CBD) levels by Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF). All plants contained less than 0.3% THC. Fiber quantity was measured using confocal microscopy techniques and compared against the different soil collection locations. Water retting was conducted to extract fiber from stalks. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) was conducted confirming UDAF�s findings of THC and CBD.

Mary Lay Schuster, Mary Daly (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Edenfield, Avery (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department)

There have been recent developments in reproductive technologies that are staking claims to better the lives of women. The invention and development of reproductive technologies alone is not enough to classify them as technologies aiding women, however. Ultrasound, IVF, and breast reduction technologies specifically can be as helpful to women as they were intended. Ultimately, the way they are put into practice, viewed by society and used by professionals can inadvertently make women feel more marginalized. A woman's agency is diminished by ultrasound technology as she is debating having an abortion; a woman's involvement in her own IVF-aided pregnancy can be positive or negative depending on the outcome; a woman's breasts can contribute to her femininity so long as they fit societal standards. As a technical communicator, I feel a responsibility to bridge this gap between technology and humanity because the two need to function together without one negatively impacting the other. Through my research I will prove this by drawing on the work of Mary Daly and her theory of a rhetorical foreground and background (spaces where women are oppressed and spaces where the oppression is removed, respectively) while analyzing the findings presented by Mary Lay Schuster in her article "The Rhetoric of Reproductive Technologies." Throughout this analysis, I would like to not only point out the problems women are currently encountering with different reproductive technologies, but also to suggest ways to amend the situation moving forward. Mary Lay Schuster points specifically in her article towards the practice of midwifery, and so one of my solutions would include utilizing modern medicine in combination with midwifery.

Webb, Kortney (Dixie State University)
Faculty Advisor: Jeffreys, Mark (Education, Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences)

This paper applies Imagined Interaction Theory to the dramatic monologue. Imagined Interaction (II) refers to a cognitive state in which people daydream about social interactions.
These II's can be used as practice for an actual conversation with a person. There are six functions of II's self-understanding, compensation, catharsis, rehearsal, conflict-linkage, and relational maintenance. Each of these functions shows why an individual would participate in imagined interactions. There are also mental ways II's represent themselves including self-talk, daydreaming, focus on organization of thoughts, and II can also be used as a therapy tool. How does this theory relate to the dramatic monologue? II's aspects are visible in how a dramatic monologue is displayed. Although II happens inside the head, the actors have to bring their internal monologue into speech through dramatic monologue. Here, II theory applies when performing a dramatic monologue directly in II form. Despite the controversy around the definition of the dramatic monologue, II aspects can be seen through the criteria and how the dramatic monologue is displayed. For practical application this research will apply findings to the dramatic monologue by performing a monologue(s) in II form. This research is significant because this topic is not researched sufficiently and it shows how the performance of the dramatic monologue in theater can mimic real world communication in various situations.

Kaundal, Amita; Hansen, Nathaniel; Ganesh, Jyothsna (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Kaundal, Amita (College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences; Plants, Soils, and Climate Department)

Plants are sessile and bound to their origin so they cannot move to defend themselves against adverse environmental conditions. Soil salinity is one of such environmental stress, which limits the growth and development of plants. Salt stress directly affects crop production. It has been predicted that by 2050, about 50% of arable land will be affected by salinity. About 23% of the worldwide farmland is affected by soil salinity and the crop losses due to salinity are estimated to be tens of billion dollars per year. On top of that, an increase in the world population, the demand for food production also increases. Thus, feeding the growing population under adverse conditions is a challenge. This challenge demands to create more resilient crops to adverse conditions and to feed the growing population. In this study we are investigating General Control Non-repressible 4 (GCN4) in Arabidopsis for salt stress tolerance. GCN4 is an AAA+-ATPase (ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities). AAA+ proteins have diverse functions, such as assembly or disassembly of protein complexes, protein folding or unfolding, protein transport or degradation. It has been shown previously that when AtGCN4 overexpressed in Arabidopsis, it plays a significant role in host-pathogen interaction and control stomatal movement upon pathogen infection by degrading RIN4 - 14-3-3 proteins in PM H+-ATPase complex. Besides this GCN4 when overexpressed exhibit drought tolerance. In this study, we have investigated the previously developed overexpressed and silenced GCN4 Arabidopsis transgenic lines along with wild type plants for salt tolerance at different NaCl concentrations of 90mM, 120mM, and 150mM. So far, the studies indicate that the overexpressor lines were able to tolerate up to 150mm of NaCl as compared to the WT and silenced lines. Further studies are in progress to confirm our hypothesis that GCN4 improves the salt tolerance of transgenic plants. The obtained knowledge will help to investigate the common link in the mechanisms involved in various abiotic and biotic stresses.

Stevens, Shaylee (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Bialowas, Anne (Weber State University, Communications)

Since they were originally published, the Harry Potter books have become a cultural phenomenon that connects people from all around the world through its relatable characters and real-world themes. This paper examines the Harry Potter books through the lens of Cultural Studies to explain the connections in the books to the real world and how the theory can be applied to real life experiences. Previous literature related to Cultural Studies and the Harry Potter books provided a foundation for the analysis. The books were analyzed by applying three key concepts in Cultural Studies to various situations and themes in the stories. The three concepts used in the analysis were ideology, economic determinism, and hegemony. The concepts were used to explore the beliefs and values of different characters within the books, as well as the power dynamics and social structures of the wizarding world. These key themes and concepts highlight the parallels that can be drawn between the world of Harry Potter and the real world, and they show the ways in which Cultural Studies can apply to our daily lives.

Leatham, Dallin (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Domek, Matthew (Weber State University, Microbiology); Oberg, Craig (Weber State University, Microbiology); Culumber, Michelle (Weber State University, Microbiology); Walker, Edward (Weber State University, Biochemistry)

Gouda cheese is known for its buttery flavor which is produced by the compound 2,3-butanedione or more commonly known as diacetyl. To measure the concentration of diacetyl in cheese a colorimetric test for vicinal diketones is used, known as the Voges and Proskauer (VP) method. This method involves using 5.0% a-naphthol and 0.4% creatine-KOH to develop a pink to red color. In the VP method the concentration of diacetyl is directly related to the absorbance. When this method was performed using known concentrations of Diacetyl in dH2O, a linear relationship was found to have a R2 value of .9571 confirming that the VP method is a viable method of testing for diacetyl concentration. It was proposed that by using a GC-MS to measure these concentrations a simpler test could be performed with similar or improved accuracy. Extracting of the diacetyl from Gouda cheese was done using a stomacher and a mixture of 50:50 acetone:dH2O. Before the concentration of cheese was measured dilutions of diacetyl concentrations were run in a 50:50 acetone:dH2O mixture at 0.1 uL/mL, 1 uL/mL, and 10 uL/mL. The concentrations of diacetyl that gouda cheese commonly contains are from 0.01 uL/mL to 0.1 uL/mL. It was found that the concentration of .1 uL/mL of diacetyl could not be distinguished from the background interference of the instrument. Currently it seems that using a GC-MS to determine diacetyl concentrations in gouda cheese might not be a practical method. Further research and a better understanding of the equipment could improve this method in order to obtain readable results.

Tooley, Sarah (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Powell, Jake (College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Landscape Architecture and Environment Planning Department)

The dry, arid climate of Utah makes water a limited and precious resource. However, Utahans are the second largest per capita water users in the nation, with over 60% of that water used on outdoor landscapes. High landscape water use in the face of limited availability is a complex socio-cultural phenomenon reaching back to when pioneers first settled Utah. Settlers were from places with cultural perceptions of landscapes and climates much different then what they found when they arrived. Their desire to create a place that felt like home established a cultural landscape vernacular where Utahan's prefer a landscape more lush and green than we have water to support. With the projected increase in Utah's population, the traditional Utah landscape is quickly becoming unsustainable. As an Extension service I designed 5 landscapes following established water wise design principles which are: planning and design, plant selection and hydro zones along with practical turf areas. The purpose of these designs was to demonstrate that water wise designs can both be water efficient as well as functional, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing. The results of these planning and design efforts are currently being installed into residences in two Utah communities. I will share the design and implementation methods and results of these designs and visitor feedback data from one of the sites. This design research showcases a potential method others in Utah can use to make their landscapes more water wise and begin to redefine the vernacular landscape in Utah and the Intermountain West.

Nye, David; Winner, Langdon (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Edenfield, Avery (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department)

The purpose of this research project is to examine the interplay between psychotherapeutic mobile applications, such as Calm and Headspace, and the people that use them. Using Langdon Winner and David Nye's discussions on technologies and the discourses surrounding them, I aim to synthesize the existing literature, which primarily investigates the effectiveness of these mobile technologies as forms of psychotherapy, with the concept of technology as an identity-forming tool. I hope to address how these psychotherapeutic technologies can both enable and disallow users, and how users, through their engagement with these mobile applications, are challenging prevailing definitions of psychotherapy and technology. Through a thorough analysis of current literature, together with Winner and Nye's work and my own evaluations of public online reviews of psychotherapeutic mobile applications, I intend to advance the research that considers how technologies affect people and how people affect technologies.

Harrison, Jake; Bartkus, Kenneth; Marlowe, Byron (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Bartkus, Kenneth; Marlowe, Byron

The use of genetically modified organisms in the production of food products in the U.S. appears to be pervasive. For example, it is reported that 90 percent of corn, soy and other crops grown in the U.S. are currently genetically modified and 75 to 80 percent of food products contain GMOs or GMO components. Unfortunately, a gap exists between what scientists and consumers believe with regard to the health safety of GMO foods. Specifically, it has been reported that while "Nearly 9 out of 10 scientists from the American Association for the Advancement of Science say GMOs are 'generally safe' to eat, more than half of general public believe it is not a good idea." This presents a challenge for restaurants. That is, should they continue to use GMO food products given assurances from the scientific community or should they respond to consumer concerns and begin the process of adopting a non-GMO policy? The purpose of this research is to address this question by proposing a framework that helps explain why a restaurant might decide to adopt (or not adopt) a non-GMO policy. Based on an adaptation of Roger's Characteristics of an Innovation, the framework has five constructs: (1) Relative Advantage, (2) Compatibility, (3) Complexity, (4) Trialability, (5) Observability. An exploratory application of the model to U.S. restaurants suggests that the framework can provide meaningful and systematic insights into the perceptions of U.S. restaurants with regard to the adoption or non-adoption of a non-GMO policy. Recommendations for further application of the framework, along propositions for additional analysis are provided. Implications for decision making are also presented.