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Poster 1-29
Abstract Volume and Quick Reference Guide
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Biological Sciences- Development of Comprehensive Theoretical Morphospaces for Canine Cranial Morphology.
Advisor(s): Dr. Lindsay Waldrop, Dr. Nicholas Hebdon
Throughout the evolution of the family Canidae, there is a continuous belief that canines have an exceptional olfactory system which allows them to have a heightened sense of smell. Because of this olfactory sophistication, canines have become prevalent as detection animals in the military, homeland security, law enforcement, forensics, and civilian applications. However, while the trait is highly regarded, the exact role of nasal morphology is understudied. We aim to investigate the influences of nasal cavity and internal structure morphology in odor detection. However, nasal structure is a sophisticated morphological target and requires innovative solutions to capture the key variables in the system and isolate the effects when single parameters are altered. To develop this method, we will employ three Computerized Tomography (CT) scans; a Golden Retriever (Mesocephalic), Chihuahua (Mesocephalic), and English Bulldog (Brachiocephalic). From these we create 3D models of these skulls within SlicerMorph to retrieve morphometric parameters for incorporation into a Principal Components Analysis (PCA). We then use the subsequent morphospace in tandem with Blender to build out theoretical morphotypes that can be used to measure how varying parameters individually influences functional outcomes. The value of this method's development study is the creation of a procedural workflow to populate a theoretical morphospace. Using canid skulls as a case study, the development of this workflow can lead to possible automation allowing for quick and efficient creation of large theoretical morphology data sets to examine structure-function interactions at high resolution. In the future, we will expand our data set with CT scans from the LA County Natural History Museum and integrate them into computational fluid dynamics analyses to assess shape-olfaction interactions.
- Hagfish Slime Mucous Vesicle Deployment in Seawater
Advisor(s): Dr. Douglas Fudge, Dr. Gaurav Jain
Hagfish produce a large quantity of defensive slime when attacked. This slime is a rapid forming dilute hydrogel comprised of two main components, thread filaments and membrane-bound mucin vesicles. Little is known about the behavior of the mucin vesicles immediately after secretion from the slime gland, as all studies on mucin vesicles have used vesicles stabilized with polyvalent anions. The slime is known to form rapidly after secretion, taking between 100-400ms, however the exact speed of the hydration of the mucus component has not been quantified. In this study we observed and captured the behavior of mucin vesicles with an inverted microscope when introduced to artificial sea water. A small dab of exudate was placed onto a slide and then a drop of solution was introduced. The resulting behavior was the rapid swelling and expansion of vesicles seen at high magnification and captured using a high-speed camera. Focusing on the expansion of individual vesicles after contact with artificial sea water showed the rapid hydration of some vesicles. The expansion rate of the mucin vesicles, once started, was much faster than any observed slime formation. Preliminary analysis averages hydration times between 20 to 70ms, with a lower hydration time bracket of 15ms. Suggesting that when slime is naturally deployed the mucous gel may be the first component to deploy. However, the presence of vesicles seconds after ASW is added suggests a possible protection effect from an extremely fast gel formation we are currently unable to capture. These insights on the mucin vesicle hydration speed in fresh exudate will further contribute to research involving the mechanisms for hagfish slime formation.
Business
- Can Strong Business Networks Help or Hinder Survival?
Advisor(s): Dr. Cristina Nistor, Dr. Charu Sinha
Business relationships embed companies into a market network that ensures efficiency and superior returns: good partners can influence future profits and open doors for future partnerships. In this paper, we conceptualize just how important relationships are in a dense, close knit, and large industry network by considering examples from what happens when a business partner disappears in the Thoroughbred Horse Industry. We describe and analyze several types of node deletions due to bankruptcies, owner death, and owner retirement.
Communication Studies
- Head Coach Leadership Styles and how it Affects Team Cohesion
Advisor(s): Dr. Austin Lee
This research is looking at how the leadership style of the head coach affects the cohesion of the team as a whole. We want to determine what leadership style is the best for team cohesion. Previous research has looked at how leadership style affects production, but never cohesion. We believe that team cohesion is an important part of team success and our research would help coaches determine what leadership style they should use. We believe our outcome will show what leadership style is the best as well as telling us what each coach at Chapman leadership style is. Our hypothesis is that democratic leadership style will have the highest level of team cohesion.
- Social Media, Social Comparison, and Romantic Relationship Satisfaction in Young Adults
Advisor(s): Dr. Austin Lee
The purpose of this research project is to see how social comparison caused by social media affects the satisfaction within romantic relationships in young adults. We are conducting this research project because social media has become such a frequent aspect of everyday life. Our hypothesis is that as the frequency of social media use rises, it leads to an increase in social comparison, which decreases romantic relationship satisfaction. Based on previous research, we can see that there is a tie between social comparison caused by social media use, and conflict in romantic relationships. We know from the research, increased popularity and use of social media causes turbulence in romantic relationships. Our goal is to fill in the gaps between young adult romantic relationship dissatisfaction and the inevitable social comparison that comes with social media usage. In order to test the hypothesis, we will be conducting an online survey that allows young adults to participate and answer questions which are designed to see how often they use social media, fall into social comparison, as well as their current relationship satisfaction, using the Relationship Assessment Scale. The expected results will be that the participants who use social media more frequently, thus experiencing more social comparison, will have lower satisfaction in their romantic relationships.
Computational Science
Presenter(s): Emma Krivoshein
Advisor(s): Dr. Aaron Schurger
Recent research investigating the neural dynamics of consciousness has emphasized that stability of brain states is important for revealing both the contents and overall level of consciousness (Wang, 2008). However, the underlying neural mechanisms that modulate stability are not well understood (Perl et al., 2020). Norepinephrine, a slow-acting neurotransmitter, modulates the excitability of neural networks and thus may play a role in controlling stability of specific brain states (O’Donnell et al., 2012). Norepinephrine levels can be reliably indexed by pupil diameter because the primary source of norepinephrine, the locus coeruleus, projects directly to the pupil dilator muscles (Joshi et al., 2016). Past studies in this topic have involved correlating neuromodulator activity with tasks, but not many studies have used perturbation of the brain to observe the effects of neuromodulation on stability. In this study, we perturbed the brain at resting state with transcranial magnetic stimulation and recorded the brain’s response to stimulation with electroencephalography. We also recorded pupil diameter to index norepinephrine levels directly before, during, and after stimulation. We aim to establish whether NE act as a stability modulator by assessing whether stability covaries with pupil size. Such a relation would suggest that norepinephrine plays a crucial role in influencing neural dynamics that are relevant to consciousness.
Health & Strategic Communication
- Implementing a Schedule with Health in Mind
Advisor(s): Dr. LouAnne Boyd
Since COVID-19 has forced many students into quarantine and online schooling, these students have faced struggles organizing tasks, especially now in their return to in-person classes. With this return, students have expressed hardship in balancing academic needs with that of physical and mental health. How are we able to meet the fitness and nutrition goals of students who are busy with the school through an integrated scheduling app? Researchers have found that many students and teens are facing challenges with productivity and time management, especially when it comes to sleep, exercise, eating well, and academics. Using the user-centered design method, we have empathized with teenage students, defined the problem, ideated on a solution, created multiple low-fidelity paper prototypes, and conducted tests for our prototypes. Such an application would allow users to schedule goals for sleep, exercise, diet, and academics, and would provide other tools in line with these goals, such as an object classifier for use in identifying nutrients in meals from the camera. Implementing a calendar-like interface, users will be able to create their own schedule based on their schooling while setting health goals around it. Another such tool is a feedback feature, allowing users to quickly receive feedback on specific exercises as they develop them, by simply recording themself performing the action. This has tools in developing sports skills, learning how to create a workout plan, or improving/validating weightlifting form before increasing weight load. By combining these tools, hard-to-define goals can be computationally validated, providing users with a straightforward means of progress. Initial results showed that students expressed interest in using an integrated scheduling app. Further findings are discussed.
Health Sciences and Kinesiology
- The Effect of Stay-at-Home and Mask Mandate Policies on COVID-19 Hospitalization Rates in New York City Among Minority Populations
Advisor(s): Dr. Jason Douglas
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted persistent health disparities affecting disadvantaged populations. Mandatory mask mandates and stay-at-home orders were implemented to protect all individuals. However, underserved communities may not have equally benefited from these policies due to inequitable access to health-protective resources. This study examined New York City hospitalization rate associations with a range of social determinants of health following March 2020 stay-at-home and April 2020 mask mandate policy implementation using March - June 2020 COVID-19 hospitalization data aggregated to the ZIP Code Tabulation Area unit of analysis. Multiple regression was used to examine hospitalizations per 100,000 persons of the population regressed by percent noncitizens, percent poor English speakers, percent Black, percent Hispanic, percent Asian, and percent American Indian/Alaska Native. Results indicated that percent Black (p < 0.05) and Hispanic (p < 0.05) residents associated with higher rates of hospitalizations compared to other races and ethnicities. Percentage of poor English speakers also associated with higher hospitalization rates (p < 0.05). Despite a decrease in hospitalization rates towards the end of the four-month span, the trends remained and revealed the disproportionate impact that the pandemic has on underserved New York City residents.
Music
- Building Ruby: Making and a Custom Electric Guitar from Scratch
Advisor(s): Dr. Jessica Sternfeld
The Fender Stratocaster is a beloved electric guitar that introduced comfort with its contour cuts, ease of maintenance with its individually adjustable saddles and bolt-on neck, as well as a floating tremolo (vibrato). But does every electric guitar player need a professionally-built custom Strat? There comes a point in every serious musician’s development where purchasing a professional instrument becomes a must and electric guitar is no exception to this. Modern Fender Stratocasters are nice instruments to play, but there’s nothing special about them that justifies the price; a player is just paying for the Fender logo to be stamped on the headstock. The best thing a player can do for themselves is to build their own Stratocaster from scratch. There are plenty of affordable building kits available, and even companies such as Warmoth Guitars that will shape and paint the guitar bodies and necks for you, giving you plenty of customizability with hardware and wood choices. These custom-built instruments are going to play better and feel better than any standard American-made Fender on the market, and are a lot more cost-effective than a Fender Custom Shop built model. On top of that, one will develop the skills of properly setting up and fine adjusting their instrument in the process of assembling it, in essence turning themselves in to a self-reliant musician and guitar technician. In this project, I will be building a custom Stratocaster from scratch with parts ordered from Warmoth Guitars and discussing the process from start to finish, from testing out a variety of guitars and electronic configurations, to final assembly, setting up and fine adjustment of the instrument.
Peace Studies
- How New Constitutions and Conflict Can Support Gender Parity in National Legislatures
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz
In the past thirty years, a global trend of democratization and greater gender parity has influenced nations to rewrite their constitutions, putting more of an emphasis on equality among the sexes. The 1980’s in particular is cited with hosting a newfound constitutionalism. Reading Amrita Basu’s Women’s Movements in the Global Era:The Power of Local Feminisms and M.E. Berry’s War, Women, and Power: From violence to mobilization in Rwanda and Bosnia-Herzegovina highlights the unique opportunity time post-conflict offers to disrupt existing gender roles. This project explores determinants of gender parity in national legislatures among nations with newly ratified constitutions, adding a focus on the particular function conflict plays regarding gender quotas and constitutional re-working. Each nation analyzed either experienced significant conflict between 1989-2019 or ratified a new constitution between the same range. Other variables which aid this inquiry include the rate of gender inequality, political rights score, and the intensity of conflict. The methodology rests upon quantitative research. An original dataset was created, looking at fifty-six nations with newly ratified constitutions, taking variable data from Uppsala University, the World Bank, International IDEA, and the University of Michigan, among others. Expected results would conclude that in nations that rewrote their constitutions to include a gender quota and experienced conflict, which lead to the writing of the constitution, women hold a greater role in national legislatures by holding onto greater percentages of seats.
Political Science
- The Implications of COVID-19 on the General Perception of Financial Collapse
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
By disrupting the general value paradigm, the typical hierarchy of values, individuals directly affected by the COVID-19 virus have realized an overall shift in perspective, indicating a need to understand the effects of the COVID-19 virus on one’s outlook regarding economic anxiety and fear of financial collapse. The possibility of a global health crisis reaching levels of devastation are certainly great and worth investigating. Throughout this research paper I worked to determine the correlation between fear of financial crises and individuals who have been affected by the COVID-19 virus. Utilizing the Chapman FEAR Survey questions pertaining to the economy and the existing implications of the virus, I have been able to observe an increasing trend of fear surrounding financial downfall in those who have contracted the virus. Social and cultural norms prior to the virus have exacerbated existing disparity in employment, education, and ability to maintain their lives, all factors that directly pertain to finances and ability to maintain financial stability. Following global crises and the observance of attitude change towards personal and national finances, one can see that the values of individuals are greatly affected by health crises and their potential impacts on the economy. Gaining insight into the relationship between fear of financial collapse and health crises are crucial in order to understand what is truly valued in our society.
- People Believe the Government is Concealing Information About the New World Order and Illuminati Conspiracies: How is This Harmful to Democracy?
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
This paper investigates the public’s trust and distrust in what the government is concealing regarding New World Order and Illuminati conspiracy theories, and variables that influence those conspiratorial beliefs. Variables investigated include social media use, political affiliation, and religion. Conspiracy theories and the understanding of how these beliefs develop is crucial, as they are harmful to our interpersonal interactions, public trust in our government, and politics. Belief in conspiracy leads people to develop paranoid, internally cogent perspectives on reality that can produce harm towards other groups of people. These paranoid perceptions of reality can lead to intergroup conflict and increased lack of trust in our government. It is important to understand that as this lack of trust in the government grows and these paranoid realities solidify, democracy erodes: the “us and them” mentality that is created through a group’s conspiratorial narrative can act as a trigger for radicalism and conflict. This paper uses the questions: Why do some people believe the government concealing information about a New World Order? How is This Harmful to Democracy? To examine whether or not the use and engagement with social media, among the previously mentioned variables, impacts the likelihood the public will believe in conspiracy theories. Previous archival research has identified correlations in religion and conspiracy belief, as a result of Biblical interpretations. This paper uses data analysis derived from public surveys. The findings in this paper present correlations between belief in the Illuminati and New World Order conspiracies and increased use of social media as a news source.
- American Crime Fear Levels
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Over the years, crime has had a significant decrease in the United States, yet, fear is still the main circumstance in American society today. Fear of crime is rooted in many different causes, such as gender, ethnicity, age, political party, and geographical location. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fear, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, I will explore the correlation between gender and media consumption with the fear of victimization. A person’s level of fear can increase from the amount of media intake they have. Social media is relatively new but has become impossible to live without and seems to increase people’s fear of the world. The media is obsessed with vicious and prevalent crimes leading to the creation of multiple crime television shows. That is because the positive side of the news is rarely shown since it does not lead or sell as much as one would hope. I will also incorporate the vulnerability and crime paradox theory to examine why women are more fearful than men. In this article, I expect to find that political affiliation can impact fear of crime, women are more afraid of being sexually assaulted, and Caucasians are more fearful of being victimized than people of color. With these findings, new measures can be taken to decrease the level of fear in the United States by representing accurate statistics of crime to make people more comfortable in their communities.
- Perceptions Surrounding White Supremacy and Violent Extremism in a Post-9/11 World
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Since the attacks on September 11, 2001, American foreign policy has revolved around how to limit the effects of radical extremism and prevent future attacks. But, in the aftermath of the 2020 Presidential Election, it became apparent that strategies for countering future violent extremism should focus on domestic threats to the nation. In my project I will examine the fears of U.S. adults regarding the rise of white supremacy and violent extremism in the United States. Relying on the 2021 Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, I have found that race plays a critical role in the fear of U.S. adults when it comes to white supremacy, with those who identify themselves as “White, non-Hispanic” less fearful of white supremacy than those who identify themselves differently. Also among the interesting findings was the relationship that religiosity has on fear of white supremacy, with those more religious less likely to fear white supremacy. Furthermore, I found that those who voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election are less likely to fear white supremacy than those who voted for other candidates. Finally, I found that media consumption plays a role in fear of white supremacy, as those who consume more traditional media less fearful of white supremacy. Although the U.S. government has spent trillions of dollars in the past two decades preventing violent extremism from threatening its interests around the world, the greatest perceived threat to those who funded the 20-year conquest may have been at home all along.
- How Level of Education Effects Fear and Belief in Climate Change
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Climate change is a pressing issue that our generation is facing and will have to find solutions to in the coming years. It is extremely hampering to progress in legislation and projects to combat climate change when a large percentage of Americans possess a strong disbelief of this phenomenon. In this paper, I attempt to find a relationship between participants’ level of fear about climate change and their level of education. The Chapman Survey of American Fears 2020/21, a survey in which Americans are asked a variety of questions involving background, values, and beliefs will be utilized in this research. I expect to see a strong correlation between people’s beliefs and climate change and the highest level of education they have received. I believe that the people who have received less schooling will believe less in climate change compared to people who have received more schooling strongly believing in climate change. It is imperative that people’s minds on this topic change in the next few years or it may be too late. With this information we may be able to start solving the problem of disbelief in climate change due to misinformation in our country.
- The Rise and Fall of the American Fear of Climate Change
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The climate crisis is a situation that can be characterized by the threat of dangerous and irreparable changes to the planet. These alterations include an increase in global temperatures, food and water insecurities, extreme weather patterns, social unrest, and political conflict. Fear of the climate crisis has decreased within the past two years (2020 and 2021)—this paper will examine factors that influence the change in American climate change fear. Using data from The Chapman University Survey on American Fears (CSAF)—which includes 1,035 participants—it is expected that the current downward trend in climate crisis fear is rooted in changes of media consumption, partisanship, and administration policies. Trend changes in the factors listed prior will be examined in context to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two administrations that will be examined include the Obama-Biden administration and the Trump-Pence administration. The 2016 through 2019 Fear Surveys will be compared to the 2020 and 2021 Fear Survey to gain a better understanding of the recent decrease as well. Identifying the factors that influence climate change fear will allow for future research on how to communicate the magnitude and importance of taking action against the climate crisis. Further research should also include the current Biden-Harris administration to better understand the change in climate fear over the past decade.
- Mental Health and Pandemics: Does Mental Health Influence Attitudes and Behaviors Towards the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The Covid-19 Pandemic during 2020-2021 has initiated a time of unprecedented confusion, anxiety, and uncertainty. The mandated isolation has had a significant negative impact on the mental health of individuals around the world as reported symptoms of anxiety and depression have increased substantially. In this paper I will explore the potential factors— such as age, gender, and race—which may have influence over an individual’s mental health and how it reflects in their reported behaviors and attitudes towards the Covid-19 Pandemic. Relying on a representative national sample of U.S. adults through the 2020/2021 Chapman Survey of American Fears, I expect to find that individuals who identify as female, people of color, and individuals between the ages of 18-30, will be more likely to report more days of bad mental health than those who identify as male, white, or above the age of 30. I then expect to find a relationship between the number of days of bad mental health and the individual’s behaviors and attitudes during the Covid-19 Pandemic by exploring the previously aforementioned factors in relation to feelings towards the mandated lockdowns, mask wearing, and recommended vaccinations. By better understanding the relationship between what influences an individual’s mental health as well as precautionary behaviors during a pandemic, better procedures can be formulated and implemented in an effort to save more lives, from both a virus as well as from mental illness, if a pandemic of this magnitude were to happen again.
- Government Conspiracy Theories. Does Political Party Affiliation Affect Belief in Government Conspiracies?
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Government-related conspiracy theories date back to at least the 1828 Presidential Campaign, where people believed that Jackson’s supporters were plotting a coup d’état if they were to lose the election. Since then, government-related conspiracy theories have soared in popularity, ranging from 9/11 being planned by the U.S. to the government knowing about aliens. Belief in conspiracy theories is crucial because it can damage one’s trust in government, and thus, be damaging to democracy. The present research examines the effects of political party association on the belief that the government is concealing what it knows about being involved in popular conspiracy theories. QAnon’s relation to belief in conspiracy theories is an under-researched field which this paper studies. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, I examined questions related to government conspiracies, and I compared it to political party association. I expected that affiliating with a particular political party would affect a person’s view on the government concealing information. The research found that political party association did not significantly impact about half of the questions studied. For the other half of the questions studied, Republicans believed in government conspiracies more often than Democrats.
- Media Influences on Fear of Immigrants
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The 2016 election and President Donald Trump’s administration, tapped into U.S. citizens’ polarization regarding the topic of immigration. There was and is a clear negative depiction of immigrants in many different local and national outlets including social media. Using the data collected from Chapman's survey of American fears in 2021, I analyze how fear of immigrants is related to media consumption. Social media and news outlets' coverage of immigrants directly influences the public’s attitudes. Agenda setting, priming, and framing help us understand that news and media construct a perception for people that might not be accurate. Citizens have formed their opinions from the rhetoric and depictions seen through media coverage. My expected findings are most influential variable from the different media outlets on fear of immigrants is local news. The second most influential is Fox News. Media consumption is not the only variable that has a relationship with people’s fear of immigrants, political affiliation, and age are found to relate. I will examine a person’s fear of immigrants and media consumption while testing other variables such as political affiliation and age. The media’s focus on graphic and violent depictions for views has formed an altered reality for media consumers around the U.S. It is essential to bring awareness to the media's constructed perception that immigrants must be feared in the U.S. to start breaking down barriers for marginalized people/communities.
- Friend or Foe? Explaining the Growing Antagonism Towards Immigrants in the United States
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Following the 2016 election in which immigration became a leading political issue, fear of immigrants has fueled greater divides amongst the American citizenry. Building off group threat theory, I examine the extent that party affiliation, age, income, and geography impact one’s fear of immigrants. Utilizing the Chapman Survey of Fears from 2016, 2018, and 2021, an online nationwide survey conducted with a representative national sample of US adults, I expect to find an increase in fear of immigrants in all independent variables as time passes from 2016 to 2021, paralleling immigration’s rise to the national stage during the 2016 election. Specifically analyzing each variable, I expect to find older, lower-income Republicans in the Southwest to be particularly afraid of immigrants as this group of people may perceive they have the most to “lose” with the arrival of immigrants, fearing job, political party, or racial competition. The expected growth in fear of immigration speaks to the sharp divide between the idealistic American “melting pot” and the realistic xenophobic attitudes amongst Americans. Additionally, understanding American attitudes towards immigrants serves as an important tool for predicting voters’ support of candidates and policies and better understanding the growing divide amongst voters. By analyzing the relationship between demographic factors and immigration attitudes, this research highlights the polarization amongst voters which threatens American democracy as this divisiveness stalls legislative action and promotes violent antagonism.
- Islamophobia and Fear of Terrorism at the Conclusion of the War on Terror
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The September 11 terrorist attacks and Islamic extremist violence in the years following contributed to a huge spike in anti-Islamic sentiment in the United States. These fears of Muslims were again made salient by former president Donald Trump as he campaigned and executed a travel ban in 2017 on those from majority Muslim countries, citing national security concerns. In this paper, I examine the impacts of Islamophobia on fear of terrorism. Using the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a nationally representative sample, from 2015-2020, I expect to find that Islamophobia and fears of terrorism will be higher in 2016 around the rhetoric of the presidential election and in 2017 in the wake of the travel ban based on issue salience. I also expect to find less support for accepting immigrants and refugees from predominantly Muslim countries around the same time periods due to social identity theory, which creates an “us versus them” mentality where Muslims would be a defintive “other” in a historically white Christian majority state. This research contributes new data and a time series analysis to examine the impact of more recent events on Islamophobia and perceptions of terrorism. These attitudes, especially those held in 2020, will impact public opinion regarding the humanitarian crisis following the evacuation of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021, in turn affecting potential for domestic conflict in response to religion- and immigration-related biases and future US foreign policy in the Middle East.
Sociology
- The Effects of Today’s Media on Fears of Crime
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Having the fear of being the victim of a crime has never been anything new, especially nowadays when we hear about it on social media or news broadcasts. The Chapman Survey of American Fears (CSAF) touches base on the fears of Americans falling victim to a crime whether it be murder or stalking, etc. In my paper I will discuss the relationship between how afraid someone is of being stalked or murdered and the amount of time they spend watching crime tv shows. In CSAF, a major part of the participants' responses leaned more towards being slightly afraid to very afraid compared to those who stated that they were not afraid.
Along with analyzing the data collected from fears of crime, I will also include the data regarding the amount of time a participant spent watching crime content such as shows/movies. I will also include the amount of time someone spends on social media and watching the news. It’s important to include social media and the news because with the new digital age, we now have easier access to finding out about crimes happening now or ones that happened decades ago. This paper will allow me to analyze how fears of crime affects both males and females and how their demographics contribute to these fears and what type of media is influencing them the most. It will provide an insight into what type of media coverage is promoting fear driven content as well as who it is affecting the most.
Strategic & Corporate Communication
- College Students' Friendships and Communication during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Advisor(s): Dr. Sara LaBelle
The purpose of this research is to uncover the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic affected college students' experiences in developing and maintaining friendships. Specifically, the modes of communication used to maintain friendships (e.g., virtual, face-to-face) were analyzed for their association with college students' relational and personal outcomes. To understand this phenomenon, one-on-one online in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with individuals who had taken at least one college course in the past year. Participants were recruited using network and convenience sampling methods. Participation was voluntary and confidential, and participants were given the opportunity to enter a raffle to win one of five $20 Amazon gift cards. The majority of participants identified as female (66.7%) and White (33.3%) and represented a range of academic years and majors. A total of twelve one-hour interviews were conducted, producing 260 pages of interview transcripts. Throughout the data collection process, data was analyzed using the phronetic iterative approach (Tracy, 2018), which emphasizes both emic (from the data) and etic (informed by existing theory and research) understandings. Results indicate that two themes existed among college student experiences: Proximity and Self Concept. These ideas explain whether participants maintained existing friendships or sought new connections during the pandemic. Participants also shared the impact of the pandemic on their mental health and academic outcomes. A future direction for this research is to analyze the effects of the pandemic on first-year students in particular, as many of the participants in this study were upper-level students. Potential limitations of this research include social desirability bias, sampling bias, and a small sample size. This study provides initial insight into the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic affected college students' communication and relationships.
Theatre
- Utilizing Live Motion Capture and Virtual Reality for an Immersive Digital Concert Experience
Advisor(s): Dr. Andrew Chappell
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that many humans dislike isolation. During quarantine, many entertainment companies created virtual, at-home experiences for their patrons to keep the business alive and maintain a sense of normalcy. Theatres created Zoom productions; bands created recordings of concerts. Some artists had pre-recorded concerts via video games, such as Lil Nas X’s and Ariana Grande’s Fortnite concerts. There was even a theatre company that created a virtual reality production of The Tempest. Creativity flourished during the pandemic as venues found new ways to engage patrons. We live in a world of the unexpected, where another isolating event may strike at any moment. We live in a world of connection, where one can instantly contact friends across the globe. Concerts are an excellent way to connect individuals, yet as of now, this can only be accomplished effectively in person.
This project is the next step in virtual concert technology and provides a more realistic experience remotely. Bands will perform in a venue called the DEN, as their bodies and faces are motion captured using various sensors and cameras. This data will be sent to Unreal Engine, and patrons can join the venue from their homes via virtual reality. The performers can see and hear their remote audience. I hope to create a connection between others, even when they are in other homes.
- Theatre Education in High Schools
Advisor(s): Dr. Andrew Chappell
Theatre Education can create a safe space for students to craft their artistry and explore themselves. Students should be challenged with the material being taught in their theatre classes and in the pieces chosen for their productions. In this paper, I explore the importance theatre education has on emerging adults, showing how it can help kids from various backgrounds in their adult lives. I research the benefits of a strong theatre education amongst high school students as well as conduct interviews of experiences from both college students (reflecting on their high school experiences in theatre) and from the perspective of theatre educators aiming to maintain an enriching program. I also write detailed lesson plans for different theatre classes during regular school hours, ranging from intro to theatre, advanced theatre, and technical theatre. Each class focuses on challenging students to engage in the material and think critically about the subject matter. The material I will choose for mainstage shows and other performances will ensure that students can further their knowledge learned in their classes in the context of live shows. My theatre program will provide students with experience in technical work, acting curriculum, stage management, directing, and watching and critiquing professional theatre to provide students with as diverse of an education as possible. Students will be able to comment on theatrical phenomena and identify holes and issues within the community. Theatre education is continually growing in a high school setting, allowing students to develop interpersonal skills, critical thinking skills, and collaboration skills, helping them throughout their careers. High School theatre isn’t just a group of students putting on some small play; it is about the development of each student professionally and personally. Expanding theatre education is about allowing students to grow into their full potential and into their unique selves.
- Theatrical Intimacy as a Process
Advisor(s): Dr. Drew Chappell
Intimacy as a concept has existed in theatre for as long as the medium has expressed physical passion. However, the work toward creating a safe and meaningful process for intimacy in the theatrical workplace remains in its infancy and continues to evolve as more research is done in the social, emotional, and psychological interactions amongst actors and other artists. Official training and certifications are available for actors, directors, and stage managers but are far from widespread in the theatrical community in the 21st century. My research aims to understand how intimacy in theatre is handled in both rehearsal spaces and performance spaces because intimacy training and knowledge affects our artistic processes before, during, and after we find ourselves on stage. I aim to research journals and other works from experts who have worked in a setting with intimacy or created forms of intimacy training that are applied in their associated works. As more is discovered about how different people, context, and spaces can affect intimacy, the technical skills that come from this will enhance the overall artistic work and community of intimate theatrical work. Theatre is meant to be a safe space for all physically and emotionally so the intimate work must be able to reflect the process and comfort of the artists involved.
- Using Theatre to Confront the Climate Crisis
Advisor(s): Dr. Andrew Chappell
For people to understand and personalize the climate crisis, it is imperative to appeal to their personal interests and humanize the problem. To combine the arts and the science of climate change, I have collected responses from an anonymous survey and used conversations from interviews to write an ethnography about the intersectional relationship of climate change and the individual. The IPCC report from 2021 is utilized to ask interviewees big questions about climate change and how it does (or doesn’t) affect them. Through this study, the disproportionate effect of climate change on marginalized communities is highlighted through the text of the play.
- Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights: Successfully Transforming Media into Live Entertainment
Advisor(s): Dr. Drew Chappell
The success of Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights is no secret to avid theme park lovers and the theme park industry. How do they do it? How do they continuously draw in a crowd to sell out their nearly two-month event? In order to answer these questions, I will be creating and designing a theoretical maze akin to those at Universal Studios. Following in the footsteps of the original mazes, I will be basing my maze on a recently popular horror media- the movie Parasite by director Bong Joon Ho.
This topic is significant because it delves into various entertainment mediums and how they connect and can relate to each other in the twenty-first century. How can my knowledge as a student studying both theatre and film translate into the world of theme parks and it's live entertainment? Is there importance to having a working knowledge of these varied mediums when it comes to reworking them into another?
I anticipate discovering more about my skills as a designer as well as a broader understanding of what it takes to run a full production that is derived from an existing body of work. Also, the general process of what it takes to design an existing world into a practical attraction that successfully immerses its audience. On the industry side of this project, I anticipate finding a sort of common formula to what makes theme park events successful year after year. I also anticipate finding out more about how the different areas within the entertainment industry work together when it comes to projects such as these and what similarities they may have. I also hope to gain a better understanding of the lure and thrill of themed events and what exactly their audiences hope to experience and take away from their visit.
- Standing Proud: A Collection of Our Asian Voices
Advisor(s): Dr. Jenny Jacobs, Dr. Andrew Chappell
My project is a devised ethnodrama piece centering the Asian voices within the Chapman theatre department. Representations of Asian individuals and culture throughout the history of entertainment have been either sparse, inaccurate or insignificant. The purpose of this project is to provide a space where Asian creatives can authentically and effectively claim their stories through doing what we love to do: creatively collaborate and perform. These stories are important to share now more than ever because of the disturbing rise of anti-Asian hate on top of the pain that our community has endured for centuries.
The process began through conducting interviews with each participant and asking them specific questions about their experiences as Asian individuals. I then formed three separate groups and assigned them each a topic in the realm of Asian social issues that are based off of the preferences from a google form I have previously sent out that had an array of topics for participants to choose from. The topics that I have chosen are portrayals of Asians in entertainment, Asian history and how history repeats itself, and the fetishization of Asian individuals and how that has impacted the Asian community. I formulated questions based on what group I have put them in, and from there wrote foundational scripts for each topic. A foundational script entails a loose plot and dialogue that will allow room for the cast to further devise the piece into the final product. From there, I have worked with each group to create final scripts from these foundational scripts and will be performing the pieces live in December. This project is an ode to what I originally applied to Chapman theatre for: to amplify voices that have historically been unheard. My hope for this piece is that it will contribute to providing a place where Asian individuals can claim space while healing during a time where we have endured pain beyond belief.