Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences Weblog

Allison Holt, Patricia Ravert*
Brigham Young University

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/holt.html

Abstract: This study compared Apgar scores and oxygenation levels of well infants born by Cesarean section (c-section) to those delivered vaginally. T-tests in a sample of 321 well infants (17.1% c-section deliveries and 82.2% vaginal deliveries) revealed no statistically significant difference between c-section and vaginal births for Apgar scores and oxygenation.

Every year in the United States over four million babies are born. In recent years, Cesarean Sections have increased with rates surging from less than 7 percent in 1970 to 30.2 percent in 2005 (Hamilton, Martin, & Ventura, 2006). Although Cesarean section (c-section) births are medically indicated for some individuals, information regarding the effect a vaginal or c-section birth may have on an infant would be essential for those mothers considering a c-section for non-medical reasons. As a nursing student, instructors at times promote natural birth methods. This led me to question what effect different modes of birth have on the baby.

Katrina Duncan, Patricia K. Ravert*

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/duncan.html

Abstract Interviews in Utah and Ecuador explored the perceptions of simulation and critical thinking. Three themes emerged during analysis. High fidelity simulation can be used to develop critical thinking and is used in many Utah nursing education programs, whereas in Ecuador simulation use is in the early stages.

Seth R. Batten, Martha Upchurch*
Transylvania University

Full Paper: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/batten.html

Abstract: Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is the study of how psychological factors such as stress and depression can affect the immune system through the nervous system. This review examines PNI in relation to HIV/AIDS and cancer. It discusses the possible mechanisms through which these diseases are affected by stress and depression as well as known PNI treatments. It concludes by discussing limitations of the research as well as where PNI may go in the future. 

Michael Anthony Cole Jr., Holger B. Elischberger*
Albion College

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/cole.html

Abstract In the present study, participants from 1st, 3rd, and 5th grade completed two simple science activities. A researcher instructed each participant to remember one of the activities and forget the other. Children's memory for both activities was assessed after a two-week delay. Data analyses yielded a slight age-related increase in directed forgetting (DF) of the two activities, but overall levels of DF were low. In contrast, the trend for word list DF established in the literature was replicated. This pattern of results is interpreted as a reflection of the context sensitivity of cognitive processes in children.

Kevin Gotkin, Rachel Ward*
New York University

Full Paper: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/gotkin.html

"This is our world now . . . the world of the electron and the switch, the beauty of the baud." -The Mentor

Introduction: Shortly after his arrest in 1986, "The Mentor" wrote a short piece for the American hacker e-zine, Phrack, entitled "The Conscience of a Hacker." We can only assume the writer is a man because his penname masks everything about his true identity, including the arrest that apparently led him to write the article. In the piece, he tells stories of his childhood, of discovering the computer, and of reading newspaper articles about amateur hackers getting arrested. The piece is very short with only a handful of paragraphs that barely stretch to a second printed page, but at the end of each paragraph he repeats five words taken from the admonishing voices he hears all around: "Damn kids. They're all alike" (1). Through his piece, The Mentor allows us a glimpse into some of the most personal parts of a hacker's mind.

Thomas Richardson, University of Bath, University of Dublin
Hugh Garavan2*, University of Dublin

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/richardson.html

Abstract This study examined relationships between hypomanic symptoms and impulsivity and risk-taking propensity in an international sample of 246 undergraduate students, finding statistically significant positive correlations between hypomania and impulsivity and risk-taking propensity. Multiple regression analyses provided further insight into these relationships.

Tracey Liebman, University of Pennsylvania

Full Paper: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/liebman.html

Abstract A rising number of individuals in the US are overweight and obese; although the morbidity and mortality rates for countless diseases have been reduced due to advances in medical research and high standard of living, the rate of type 2 diabetes mellitus increases. The culture of our affluent nation has promoted the consumption of high caloric, processed food along with physical inactivity. In the attempt to control the rise of type 2 diabetes, new treatments such as these 11β-HSD1 inhibitors and others that focus on mechanisms relating to cortisol regulation may have favorable results. Diabetes prevalence is increasing because the population is aging, people are progressively more overweight and physically inactive, and minority groups that seem more susceptible to diabetes make up an increasing percentage of the US population. Cortisol may play an important role; it is possible that even small increases in cortisol, within the range of normal, may have a detrimental influence by worsening diabetes and increasing complications. This paper is a review of the role of cortisol and abdominal obesity in the epidemic of type 2 Diabetes. As diabetes continues to grow in prevalence, the problems will become even more extensive and debilitating for society if optimal preventative measures are not taken. Future efforts in this related struggle against both obesity and type 2 diabetes should encompass a strong focus on cortisol so such prevention and treatment can successfully advance. 

Sheri Binkly, Sara Keller, Jenna Sogn, Marisa TenBrink, South Dakota State University
Guest editor and program coordinator: Dr. Leda Cempellin

Full publication: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/interconnected-through-art/

Introduction: This group project has been inspired by the theme of the 2010 Upper Midwest Honors Conference at SDSU: "Mitakuye Oyasin", roughly translated, in the Dakota/Nakota/Lakota language as "we are all related."

Each student in my Honors Art Appreciation class chose an artist, whose work is connected with either the land, the community, or both. Then, he/she performed a bibliographical research on that artist and applied form and content-based analysis methods we discussed in class.

These four outstanding research projects have been granted the generous contribution of bibliographical sources and images from some of the most prestigious institutions in the art world. Our collective academic effort, and this consequent publication project, would not have been possible without their support.

Lisa Hutton,The Master's College

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/hutton.html

LaToiya C. Payton, Bridgett Clinton*, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/payton.html

Abstract This study contributes to the understanding of how the mass media's representation of the idealistic adult female affects the perceived body image and social comparison habits of the everyday woman. A self-report survey was distributed to female college students who responded to questions related to their body image, social comparison, and attitude towards advertisements. In addition, college females were exposed to a total of two advertisements featuring images of models advertising fashion products. Survey results revealed that the culture of society did not influence college females' body image perceptions through the social comparison of print advertisements. However, the study did reveal that college females were more influenced by the social comparison of their peers rather than print advertisements.

Scott Beck, University of Pittsburgh

Full paper: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/beck.html

Abstract

Taiwan has a history full of oppressive rulers and people who resisted their oppression. During October to December of 2008, widespread protests of government intervention in civil society showed that this struggle is not yet finished. This paper analyzes those protests, particularly as they pertain to the Wild Strawberry Student Movement. Key concepts used in this analysis are an action-centered conceptualization of culture as a tool-kit, a narrative of unfolding, and a language of resistance.

Herbert Hudson Taylor, IV, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland

Full paper: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/taylor.html

Abstract This paper identifies the Anglo-American economic model as one potential cause of class inequality and surveys the ways in which one's class relates to one's ability to own a home. These relationships establish a framework for the paper's sociological question, which investigates how parental homeownership and several of its corollaries (i.e., its effects on one's ability to afford opportunity, the quality of one's communities, and one's self-concept and self-esteem) influence children's achievement of higher education. Thus, the paper ultimately attempts to explain the relationship between the Anglo-American economic model, America's class inequality, and homeownership and the eventual impacts of these phenomena on children's attainment of higher education. In this way, analyses comment on the cyclical functioning of class inequality under the Anglo-American economic model.

Courtney Footskulak, Greg Harrison, Deirdre McFate, Erica D. Carlyn Stuart, Lesley Willis, California University of Pennsylvania
Guest editor and program coordinator: Rebecca Hess PhD

Full edition: www.kon.org/urc/v9/athletic-training

Introduction: Research in athletic training has rapidly expanded over the past two decades encompassing not only the more traditional focus on clinical applications but also pedagogy and curriculum, psychology of injury, and an introspective evidence-based practice inquiry. To support this research initiative, many undergraduate athletic training education programs (ATEPs), including ours at California University of Pennsylvania, added a senior research class to the undergraduate curriculum focusing on developing an understanding of published research as well as valid research questions. More specifically, in our Sports Medicine Research course at Cal U, senior ATEP students' research topics culminate in a selected review of the literature, research proposal, and presentation of the research in class seminars as well as University Academic Excellence Events. Students are also encouraged to submit papers to professional athletic training organizations, as well as, for those that are members of our Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society, the Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences. The following five research papers were developed by the students as a culminating undergraduate research experience and represent Selected Topics in Athletic Training

Chelsea Ivy-Rose Jove, The Master's College

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/jove.html

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the portrayal of fathers in the media. Fathers are being "dumbed down" and pushed aside. The survey instrument was limited to selected parents in the Santa Clarita Valley and students at The Master's College located in Santa Clarita, California, during the spring 2009 semester. The research questions were analyzed using STATPAK. The One-Dimensional Chi-square test was used to calculate the data using a .05 level of significance. It was indicated through the review of the literature that the media's portrayal of men affects the family. Fathers are extremely important when rearing children, and they affect their children's lives physiologically, emotionally, spiritually, educationally, and physically.

Jamie Ann Hernandez, The Master's College

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/hernandez.html

Abstract Current research suggests that family leisure has encouraged the involvement and interaction with children in a way that fulfills both parental and social discourse. The purpose of the study was to observe how pre-teens from the ages of 12 to 14 are impacted by the relationships they have with their family environments inside and outside of the home. The survey instrument observed the impact of family involvement on the maturation of pre-teens (12-14 years of age). The results reflected that families are incorporating planned activities on either a weekly or monthly basis and/or actively discussing family-related plans. In contrast, there was a significant lack of whole family participation. As shown through various current research and the results of this study, family togetherness and positive developmental influence are concepts that should be linked.

Jacqueline Britz, Eric Pappas*, James Madison University

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/britz.html

Abstract This research into stress assessed the sources and outlets of stress among a group of 124 college freshmen at James Madison University. Results revealed that a high degree and frequency of stress exists among the participants, with over 50 percent of students reporting high levels of stress. The major causes of stress were found to be academic workload and time management. High stress levels among participants correlated with many unhealthy behaviors, including compromised quality of diet and decreased quantity of sleep. 

Kathryn Henry, Chelsea Schenck, Nina Collins*, Bradley University

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/henry.html

Abstract According to a review of literature, one of determinants of satisfaction for seniors in assisted or other long-term care living arrangements is the quality of food and food service (Howells, 2007; Amarantos, Martinez, & Dwyer, 2001). Part of the determining factor of satisfaction is the management of any food service operation, including preparation of food. This study examined the minimum qualifications of dietary managers in Illinois compared with telephone interview responses from senior living telephone interviews. Results indicated that a majority of participants were unaware of the qualifications for dietary managers in Illinois and very few participants in the survey required qualifications beyond the minimum state requirements for dietary managers.

Chelsea Bailey, Elmira College

Full paper: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/bailey.html

This paper is an attempt to gain a sense of how Amish society is reacting to increasing dependence on technology in mainstream society, especially in the agricultural realm. It examines the changes that have been taking place in Amish society as larger American society increasingly embraces modernization and the Amish are forced to adopt new ways of living in order to survive economically. It explores the positive and negative attributes of entrance into the business world in terms of the perpetuation of the Amish cultural beliefs and values and speculates as to where the changes might lead their culture.

Maggie Bertucci, Alex Miller, Stephen Jaggi, Steven Wilding, Brigham Young University

Full paper: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/bertucci.html

Abstract The recently passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 summons a $940 billion budget focused primarily on providing health care coverage for every American. In 1965, the government had a similar goal, which led to the implementation of Medicare and Medicaid. Unfortunately, these programs ended up costing ten times what was originally estimated. Perhaps this was partially due to the rising rates of disease in recent years, particularly obesity. In order for the government to stay within its current budgetary limitations and for America to sustain long-term control over its health concerns, we feel that there should be a shift towards more preventive care instead of primarily focusing on reactive care (treating the symptoms). We set out to discover if preventive care is more cost-effective than reactive care, limiting our focus strictly to rising obesity rates and its associated costs. In this paper we summarize the current literature on the subject and discuss both the advantages and difficulties of establishing a more preventive approach toward healthcare. We conclude that prevention would extend quality years of life to more Americans at a lower cost than when primarily implementing reactive care. Our main goal in writing this article is to raise awareness of this potential. To illustrate this, we analyzed three preventive approaches: school-based programs, dietary restrictions, and increased exercise. These three examples are effective at reducing obesity and cost-efficient. Together, they serve as the general framework of preventive care upon which more advanced and specific programs can be discussed. 

Courtney A. DeSisto, Ingrid G. Farreras,* and Christina M. Woody Hood College

Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v9/desisto.html

Abstract: A convenience sample of 132 twelve-eighteen-year-old students from a private middle and high school in the mid-Atlantic was used to determine whether there is a correlation between perceived parental involvement in teenagers' lives and the adolescents' self-esteem. A statistically significant correlation was found between perceived parental involvement and self-esteem, and a stepwise regression analysis found that perceived parental involvement and the sex and age of the adolescents predicted 25 percent of the variance in adolescent self-esteem. Female students reported higher self-esteem than male students in all but the 12-year-old group, and self-esteem decreased during middle school but then increased by high school. Implications for future research on parental involvement in teenagers' lives were discussed.

Sarah C. Atchley, Hendrix College

Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v9/atchley.html

Abstract: Current research explores how attractive a person is perceived based on the number of sexual partners the person and the attractiveness of those sexual partners. Without ever witnessing the individual, participants formed opinions of the individual's level of attractiveness and desirability based on a high or low number of sexual partners and high or low attractiveness levels of those partners.

Rania Kaoukis, Phuong T. Do*, Purdue University Calumet

Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v9/kaoukis.html

Abstract: Biocultural evolution suggests that humans place a stronger emphasis on socioemotional processes than biological factors in regard to sexual selection. Substantial evidence from past studies reinforces the proposition that mating preferences have a basis in one's health and well-being. The indication that biological entities prefer to pass on favorable genes to their offspring can be traced back to Darwin's theory of natural selection. Consistent findings have been observed regarding the influence of development on facial symmetry. Research suggests that facial symmetry reflects developmental stability, indicating how successful one's genes are in shaping a symmetric organism despite environmental assaults. In line with previous research, the current research proposal examined the effect of facial symmetry (i.e., a biological process) and socioeconomic status (i.e., a socioemotional process) on judgment of perceived health. It was hypothesized that women would judge a man's health according to his facial features and annual income. Stimuli consisted of individual faces that were separated into two distinct groups based on the degrees of fluctuating asymmetry and then were counterbalanced with two levels of socioeconomic status (i.e., low and high income). Findings indicated the relative importance of both biological and socioeconomic processes in perceived health. Although the hypothetical results are preliminary, these findings suggest practical applications for understanding the biocultural evolutionary process and characteristics of natural selection in mankind.

Kristen Henriksen, Migette L. Kaup*, Kansas State University

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/henriksen.html

Abstract: It has been consistently documented that children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) experience difficulty managing the sensory environment due to symptoms and behaviors associated with the disease. Existing literature is examined in order to uncover variables of the built environment that are known to positively or negatively affect the symptoms and behaviors of children diagnosed with ASD. The majority of the existing literature focuses on sensory and spatial issues, while the occurrence of conflicting recommendations serves to magnify the genuine complexity of the disorder. Suggested programming requirements and spatial layouts will aid the interior designer to a certain degree, but due to the scarcity of research that informs the interior designer specifically, new research is conducted in this paper and is combined with data from existing literature to form a matrix of specific design considerations. This will allow designers to utilize the considerations more readily and answer the calling for adaptable, flexible, and thoughtful universal design solutions in the learning environments of children with ASD.

Sarah C. Atchley, Hendrix College

Full paper: www.kon.org/v9/atchley2.html

Abstract The current research is a literature review of inaction inertia, which is the resulting inaction due to certain cognitive processes, specifically counterfactual thinking or looking back over one's life to determine how events could have turned out differently if a different course of action was taken. Previous research indicates that counterfactual thinking can have negative consequences such as inaction inertia, gambling, and self-handicapping.

Anastacia E. Damon, Arineh Sarkissian, Cherrie Y. Cotilier, Nicole M. Staben, Jaime M. Lee, Robert J. Youmans, California State University, Northridge

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/damon.html

Abstract Some psychologists believe that, in addition to any independent variable being tested, the characteristics of the experimenter who is conducting the study can influence how participants will perform during experiments, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as experimenter bias. Participants in this experiment consisted of 67 California State University, Northridge students. In this double-blind procedure, participants were randomly assigned to follow directions from either a casually or professionally-dressed experimenter. The authors predicted that participants in the professionally dressed condition would follow directions more accurately, but results indicated that participants who received directions from a casual experimenter were more compliant. It may be that students follow directions more accurately when those directions are given by someone who is dressed more similar to themselves.

Emily Taber,Western Washington University

Full Paper: www.kon.org/urc/v9/taber.html

Abstract The application of Jeremy Bentham's (1785) panoptic concept has changed significantly with the popularization of observational technology and dataveillance. Where Bentham's model focused on the material, the Digital Age has created new structures of power in contemporary culture, altered how observers and observed interact, and influenced both contemporary cultures of observation and the broader social structure. I analyze what has caused these transitions and traced them to five areas of social and technological change, examining how cultural values have transformed and may continue transforming into the Twenty-first Century.

Emely E. Medina-Rodríguez, University of Puerto Rico, Leonard Ramirez*, University of Illinois at Chicago

Full Paper: www.kon.org/urc/v9/medina-rodriguez.html

Abstract The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was created in 2001 to close the achievement gap between middle class White students and low-income minority students in the U.S. NCLB is also mandated in Puerto Rico and affects Puerto Rican educational institutions. Although this law has been studied in the U.S, its impact on territories distant from the mainland is less understood. Little is known, for example, about how NCLB affects Puerto Rican teachers' attitudes, especially those working with students from low-income communities. Qualitative research methods were chosen to encourage teachers from an intermediate school in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, to express their perspectives from their own point of view regarding the NCLB Law and related themes. The school serves students from five surrounding public housing projects, and ninety-two percent of the student body came from households with an income below the poverty level. Statistics from Puerto Rico's Department of Education also showed that this school had not met NCLB's Adequate Yearly Progress requirement for the past five years. A snowball sample identified seven teacher and staff members' participants, and they were interviewed using an instrument containing 26 open-ended questions.

Saba Zahid, Theodore Fleming*, G. Kevin Randall*, Bradley University

Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v9/zahid.html

Abstract Consumer safety has now become a pressing issue with recent illnesses and food recalls due to elevated microbiological contamination of a variety of different foods. Although there are many different steps in the handling and processing continuum that expose the food supply to potential microbial exposure and contamination, consumers can limit their risk for food-borne illness by practicing safe food handling practices in their homes. In this study, we examined several commonly used thawing methods and their impact on microbial growth.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different thawing methods on microbial growth in ground beef. Microbial growth was evaluated during a six-hour thaw period using three different thawing methods: refrigerator, room temperature, and standing water bath. Beef maintained in the freezer was used as a control. Bacterial counts per gram of beef were determined at one-hour intervals using a viable count method.

Jaclynn Shaw, Kansas State University

Full report: www.kon.org/urc/v9/shaw.html

Abstract: Early childhood educational (ECE) facilities overwhelmingly impact their occupants; the design of these facilities, therefore, cannot be understated as young children often spend up to 12,500 hours of their juvenile lives in child development centers (Day, 1983; Vaughan, 2007). An analysis of the literature and research on ECE reveals differences in the layout of preschool, kindergarten, and first grade classrooms. This paper demonstrates how the design of the physical environment should evolve to respond to the developmental needs of preschool, kindergarten, and first grade children. Both literature and research on ECE environments have been used to create a schematic analysis that informs designers of particular design implications used to create a physical space successful in fostering and enhancing positive child development and effective learning.

Luis E. Gonzalez, Gwendolyn P. Quinn*, Jessica McIntyre*, University of South Florida

Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v9/gonzalez.html

Abstract Previous research indicates Hispanic cancer patients are severely underrepresented in cancer clinical trials. This study aimed to understand some of the main barriers that may prevent Hispanic cancer patients from participating in clinical trials. A total of 36 Hispanic cancer patients and their caregivers participated in a focus group either in Tampa, Florida or Ponce, Puerto Rico to discuss knowledge of clinical trials. Lack of knowledge about clinical trials, fears, psychological issues, and financial burden were identified by cancer patients and caregivers as major barriers to participation.

Meredith E. Sargent and Kelly L. Evola, G. Kevin Randall*, Jeannette Davidson*, Bradley University

Full mauscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/sargent.html

Abstract: Nutritional recommendations, BMI, and quality of life may be uniquely related in a population of older adults. The current recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for dietary protein in older adults is 0.8 g/ kg of body weight per day, but controversy exists as to whether this amount is adequate. Research findings suggest that the protein turnover rate decreases by the age of 70, resulting in a greater need for protein by older adults. In addition, nutritional studies have suggested a lower mortality rate is associated with overweight BMI ranges in older adults. Last, a relationship between nutritional risk and quality of life has been found in community living elderly adults. To date no studies have been found investigating the relationship between protein intake and various physical and mental health correlates, such as quality of life among community dwelling older adults. Using data collected from a convenience sample of this population, who indicated protein intake of 0.8 -1.6 g/kg and BMIs of 25 and over, we investigated the relationship between protein intake, self-rated physical health, and life regard; analyses controlled for age, sex, and marital status.Results from a hierarchical regression analysis showed that a measure of life regard significantly and positively contributed to Protein Intake. This final model explained 49 percent of the variance.

Karen Hong

Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v9/hong.html

Abstract: Understanding the education, beliefs, and practices of Peking University students could potentially help with designing pertinent and effective sexual and reproductive health (SRH) curricula, educating the public about sexual minorities, and removing barriers to accessing SRH services. After a review of The Chinese Journal of Human Sexuality, it was evident that college students' sources of SRH knowledge, beliefs, and practices were not thoroughly examined within the last year in SRH research. The present study is the first to examine SRH educational resources and preferences of Peking University students, the benefits of Peking University courses on SRH, Peking University student perceptions about sexual minorities, and their barriers to accessing SRH services. A survey was given to 176 Peking University students on SRH, and Excel graphs were compiled to assess their responses. The survey suggested that there are better methods for disseminating information, weak SRH knowledge, little acceptance of sexual minorities, and few attempts to access SRH services. One of the most significant findings included the inaccurate perception of HIV transmission. Eighty-three percent of participants could not answer a particular question about HIV transmission correctly (Graph 10). Also, there was a largely negative perception of HIV-positive people. An overwhelming majority, 71 percent, of participants reported that if they discovered their friend was HIV-positive, it would have a slightly or extremely negative impact on their friendship (Graph 20). These results lend support to the idea that more SRH education is needed to create a more tolerant and informed population of Peking University students.

Morteza Bakhtiarvand, Payame Noor University of Andimeshk (PNU), Iran
Somaye Adinevand, Education Department of Andimeshk, Iran

Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v9/Bakhtiarvand.html

Abstract The present study investigated the effect of cultural familiarity in improving Iranian EFL (English as a foreign language) learners' listening comprehension. To achieve this purpose, a listening comprehension test was administered to three hundred language learners; ultimately one hundred and twenty pre-intermediate language learners were selected and randomly assigned to four groups. The same pre-test was administered to the four groups before any treatment lesson. During the experiment, Group A had exposure to target culture texts in-and out-side the classroom. The participants in Group B had exposure to international target culture texts in-and out-side the classroom. The participants in Group C had exposure to source culture texts in-and out-side the classroom. The participants in Group D had only exposure to culture free texts in-and-out side the classroom. At the end of the experiment, four groups took a post-test which was the same as pre-test to see whether or not there were changes regarding their listening proficiency. The results of the posttest showed that the four groups performed differently on the posttest, which was indicative of the fact that greater familiarity to specific culturally-oriented language listening material promoted the Iranian EFL learners' listening proficiency.

Sarah Levant, Temple University

Full paper: www.kon.org/urc/v9/levant.html

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the premature death and dynamics of Ben Himmelstein in his communities. Conducted in an autoethnographic writing style, questionnaires were gathered through the social networking site, Facebook, giving access to several of Ben's different communities. Additionally, data were collected by phone and in-person interviews. Results reflected that relationships and perspectives vary with every individual, and relationships with community members and ourselves define who we are.

Kelly Tian, University of Chicago

Full paper: www.kon.org/urc/v9/tian.html

Abstract: The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 made a profound impact on American society, affecting the targeted Chinese people and as well as Caucasians. Because much of what happens in the past influences the present and future, it is vital to understand the motives for the Act and how it affects others. Perhaps by learning about previous difficulties one can draw conclusions on how to lead more productive and harmonious lives in the future.

Tiana Keith, East Carolina University

Full paper: www.kon.org/urc/v9/keith.html

Abstract Rates of depression in college students are at an all time high. Millions of emerging adults are experiencing symptoms that are making daily routines problematic. These symptoms may include, but are not limited to, drowsiness, loss of appetite, sense of hopelessness, apathy, and irritability. Long periods of suffering through such feelings are non-conducive to dealing with the demands of college life. The causes of depression are as unique as the individual that experiences the disorder. For many students, however, depression can be attributed to stressors such as academic pressure, inadequate social adaptation, inadequate sleep, and the stress of the overall transition to college life. Reports show an inequality of depressive symptoms experienced by male and female students for unknown reasons, but assumptions have been made. Students who suffer from depression risk serious health problems if positive steps are not made to help with their symptoms. It is not uncommon for the traditional student age group to resort to substance abuse and other risky behaviors to escape depressive symptoms. In many cases students experience eating disorders, and others choose suicide. With an increasing demand for positive coping mechanisms, universities have made an effort to offer free psychological services to students on their campuses. Although attempts have been made, students are underutilizing the resources. Students and universities must work together to provide an effective way to reduce depression in college students. 

Christine Hunter, Patricia K. Ravert*, Brigham Young University

Full manuscript: http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/hunter.html

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine undergraduate nursing students' perceptions regarding learning outcomes developed during simulation experience throughout the nursing program. Students from four different semesters completed surveys following their simulation experience to report their perceptions of learning outcomes (improving communication, increasing nursing skills, understanding classroom material, developing critical thinking, and facilitating teamwork). Results indicated that each semester, students rated increasing nursing skills and developing critical thinking as two of the top three learning outcomes obtained during simulation experiences. Students perceived that developing the learning outcome of facilitating teamwork increased more in later semesters. Improving communication and understanding classroom material were not rated as frequently.

Ian B. Nahmias, Scott W. Plunkett*, California State University, Northridge

Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v9/nahmias.html

Abstract Immigrant adolescents use coping strategies to deal with acculturative and personal stress. Yet, little is known about where these coping strategies emerge. The purpose of this study was to identify whether perceived parental behaviors and neighborhood qualities related to the coping strategies used by adolescents from immigrant families. Self-report data were collected from 729 adolescents from immigrant families in one Los Angeles school. Multiple regressions indicated (a) girls reported higher family support and social support in coping than boys; (b) parental warmth was significantly and positively related to family support and social support, while negatively related to ventilating feelings and substance use coping; (c) parental harshness was positively related to social support, ventilating feelings, and substance use coping; and (d) neighborhood stressors were related to higher ventilating feelings and substance use coping.

Jenna Osseck, Joan Scacciaferro, Deirdra Frausto, Carol Cox*, Truman State University

Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v9/osseck.html

Abstract A sample of 70 white-collar and blue-collar employees participated in a one hour stress management training workshops about the definition and causes of stress, work-related stress, strategies for managing stress, and creation of a personal stress management action plan. The stress management workshop knowledge test was administered pre- and post-intervention to analyze the causes and signals of stress, ways to manage stressful situations, and strategies for managing stress.

Results indicated that there was a significant increase in post-test mean knowledge scores as a result of the intervention. It seems that a brief workplace stress management education workshop could improve stress prevention knowledge in both blue- and white-collar employees.

Masoud Bahrami, Islamic Azad University, Iran

Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v9/bahrami.html

Abstract This study aimed at examining the influence of task-based activities (four specific types of tasks: matching, form-filling, labeling, and selecting) on listening ability in students of English as a foreign language and to identify if there was any correspondence between task type and students' language proficiency level. Ninety senior EFL learners of Sadra English Institute in Dorood participated in this study. The sources of data for this quasi-experimental study included two task-based tests of listening comprehension and a test of language proficiency. Analysis of the findings indicated that there was a significant relationship between the three tasks of "matching, labeling, and form-filling" on the one hand and listening comprehension on the other. However, no such relationship was observed between the task of "selecting" and listening comprehension. Moreover, the results of the participants' performance on each task at each level of language proficiency showed that among the four tasks of the study only the "selecting" task did not correspond with the three levels of language proficiency. The participants, according to the results of the post-test, showed no improvement over the task of "selecting".