Browse Exhibits (109 total)

Gender disparities in occupation may greatly have to do with attrition rates of women in male-dominated STEM fields. These attrition rates may be due to sexism, perception of ability, and other various stressors associated with being in male-dominated occupations. It is important to understand differences between women who stay in STEM and those who leave to assist in addressing the gender gap in STEM occupations. Previous research has found that individuals with high levels of resilience are more likely to cope well with various adversities. Based on these findings, it is hypothesized that women with STEM degrees working in male-dominated STEM occupations will have higher levels of resilience than women with STEM degrees working in non-STEM occupations. By determining whether resilience is a protective factor for women in STEM, we may be able to begin building resilience level from a young age. A preliminary independent samples t-test revealed that there is no significant difference in resilience levels between women with male-dominated STEM degrees working in STEM versus women with male-dominated STEM degrees working in non-STEM. For the rest of data collection, the PI will be working toward recruiting more women in non-STEM fields as the number of women in male-dominated STEM is much greater.

Faculty Mentors: Dr. Thomas Holtgraves & Dr. Katie M. Lawson

Department of Psychological Science

Graduate

The current prison system in America was put in place in 1891 under the Three Prisons Act. Jail and prison designs have historically been meant to keep those on the inside in and those on the outside out. Jails have many design flaws that are detrimental to a prisoner’s health. They tend to be overcrowded, offer poor healthcare, lack privacy, and deprive people from stimulation which can exacerbate mental health problems. According to The Star Press, the Delaware County Justice Center in downtown Muncie experienced overcrowding. The facility had a maximum capacity of 220 inmates, but frequently housed over 300 inmates. A new jail in the former Wilson Middle School is expected to house 500-750 inmates. This stopgap solution to overcrowding solves some of the community problems of incarceration but does not go far enough to address other areas of incarceration in America. A solution to the current American prison design is what people are calling “humane prisons.” This design philosophy believes that American prisons could build more respect for their inmates by incorporating design elements that mimic daily life.

This presentation incorporates design ideas for the “new” jail facility of Delaware County with depictions of what sorts of features might make it more humane. Since it is already in use visits to the site may not be possible however, artist’s sketches can show features that may be possible and benefit the larger community through a change in incarceration philosophy as opposed to the current utilitarian approach.

Faculty Mentor: Gerald Waite

Department of Urban Planning

Undergraduate

Impulsivity is empirically associated with externalizing psychopathology such as substance use (Berg et al., 2015), antisociality (Whiteside et al., 2005), ADHD (Winstanley et al., 2006), and internalizing psychopathology such as fear and distress disorders (King et al., 2018), Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorders (Henry et al., 2001). The widely used UPPS-P Model of Impulsivity suggests the construct of impulsivity reflects: Urgency (positive and negative), (lack of) Perseverance, (lack of) Premeditation, and Sensation-seeking (Lynam et al., 2007). Arguably the least well understood and most consequential facet of impulsivity is Urgency; the propensity to partake in rash action under the influence of intense positive or negative emotion (Whiteside & Lynam, 2001; Cyders & Smith, 2007). A key gap in our understanding of these mechanisms is if Positive and Negative Urgency are two separate constructs, or if they represent two variations of the same underlying mechanism. One way to evaluate if Urgency is one or two separate constructs is to see if individuals take different specific impulsive actions in the face of positive versus negative affect. As such, this study proposes the development of a scale to assess specific categories of behavior empirically associated with impulsivity. This study will gather one round of data, via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, of participants’ level of trait impulsivity, the types of impulsive actions they have taken in the last 30 days (ranging in three levels of severity; mild, moderate, severe), and how problematic those actions were to their long-term goals.

Faculty Mentor: Thomas Holtgraves

Psychological Science

Graduate

According to the FBI, an estimated 73.5 million people in the USA have a felony arrest records. Conflict with the justice system and the presence of a criminal history creates barriers for individuals seeking higher education, employment, housing, known as collateral consequences. Despite trauma and obstacles, a segment of the affected population has shown a significant positive progress and individual prosperity post conviction or incarceration. Evidence indicates that webs of support can benefit outcomes of individuals as well as organizations. However, little is known about whether this particular population has access to or utilized support networks in achieving their goals. This paper reports the results of qualitative interviews with 4 adults with varying levels of conflict with the criminal justice system and compares findings with current work exploring the impact of trauma on individually perceived success.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jane Ellery

Deptartment of Special Education

Undergraduate

What constitutes beauty? Do we only find beauty in places that society tells us are beautiful? In this project, I address these questions and explore the idea of finding beauty in dilapidated places. This project consists of photographing urban ruins, editing the photos, and then composing ekphrastic poems to further amplify and expand on the photos’ meanings. By exposing the viewer to these derelict scenes, I hope to recalibrate the viewer’s own standards of beauty. I aim to shed light on the hidden beauty I see amongst these evident ruins.

Faculty Mentor: Charlie Geyer

Modern Languages and Classics

Undergraduate

Honors College