Undergraduate Research Posters

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  Abating Prejudice With Presence: Dispositional Mindfulness Increases Interracial Helping Behavior

  Justin Tubbs, Daniel R. Berry, and Kirk Warren Brown

  Helping behavior is less frequently shown toward members of social out-groups (Cikra, Bruneau, & Saxe, 2011). Race defines a common source of social division in America and other countries, and although most condemn racial discrimination, helping is undermined in interracial interactions (Saucier, Miller, & Doucet, 2005). Recent theory suggests that mindfulness, a receptive attention to one’s present experience, can attenuate the conceptual boundaries that typically separate and distance oneself from others (Trautwein, Schmidt, & Naranjo, 2014). We designed an experiment to examine whether dispositional mindfulness would be associated with increased helping behavior in interracial contexts. Self-identifying White participants (N = 139) witnessed a confederate in need of help while waiting to participate in a study, and experimenters observed whether participants helped them or not; self-identifying White or Black confederates were randomly assigned to each experimental session. Three-block sequential logistic regression models were constructed to identify predictors of same-race and interracial helping. Overall, dispositional mindfulness, agreeableness, and lower racial prejudice predicted greater helping behavior in same-race interactions (all ps < 0.05). Interestingly, mindfulness moderated the help-reducing effects of racial prejudice in the interracial interactions (p < 0.05). More specifically, high mindfulness was associated with increased helping behavior among those high in racial prejudice. This correlational evidence is consistent with mindfulness theory, which suggests deploying mindful attention dampens psychological barriers between self and others. This study highlights the potential for mindfulness in reducing defensive attitudes and increasing prosocial responsiveness across social lines.

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  Subjective Measures of MZ and DZ Twins during Anxiety-Provoking Tasks

  Sravya Uppalapati

  Temporary anxiety is a healthy response to stress; however, continuous anxiety can threaten an individual’s day-to-day living by eliciting negative responses. In the study, monozygotic 84 (MZ) and 153 dizygotic (DZ) adolescent twins pairs, ages 15 to 20 years, participated in anxiety-provoking tasks and subjective experiences of anxiety were measured using subjective units of distress (SUDS). The twin participants were recruited through the Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry (MATR) at Virginia Commonwealth University. The twins participated in a carbon dioxide (CO₂) breathing task and a trier social stress task (TSST). The study aims were to evaluate the relationship between anxiety-provoking tasks and subjective experiences of anxiety in MZ and DZ adolescent twins and to compare SUDS ratings in the CO₂ task to SUDS ratings in the TSST to determine which task produces greater anxiety. The data was analyzed using correlational models. MZ twins reported more similar SUDS in both the CO2 task and trier task than the DZ twins, however, not at significant values. The mean SUDS ratings for MZ twins and DZ twins were higher in the trier task than the CO₂ task, suggesting that the trier task was a better inducer of anxiety than the CO₂ task. The goal of the research was to characterize etiological pathways involved in the development of internalizing disorders and to set the stage for advancement of effective intervention and prevention programs, specifically by determining the relationship between SUDS ratings and anxiety-provoking tasks in MZ and DZ twins. Further study is needed to evaluate the heritability of anxiety response.

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  Promoting Prosocial Responsiveness across Racial Divides through Mindfulness

  Chris J. Wall, Paul E. Plonski, Daniel R. Berry, and Kirk W. Brown

  In interracial and other intergroup interactions, prosocial emotions and actions are often undermined (Cikara & van Bavel, 2014). Perceiving psychological separateness between “us” and “them” – which is often an automatic, unintentional process – is psychological kindling for lower prosocial responsiveness that leads to prejudice, discrimination, aggressive conflict (Cikara, 2015). Recent research has shown that mindfulness, an open and unconditional attention to one’s present experiences, is associated with decreased automaticity and racial bias (Kang, Gruber, & Gray, 2013; Lueke & Gibson, 2014), barriers that hinder prosocial responsiveness (Trautwien, Schmidt, & Naranjo, 2014). Two experiments investigated whether brief mindfulness training promoted prosocial responsiveness toward an ostracized person of another race. Before witnessing a person of another race being excluded in an online ball-tossing game (Cyberball), participants in both studies were randomized to either an audio-recorded mindfulness training (MT), a structurally-equivalent attention control training (CT), or a no instruction control (NT). MI participants in Study 1 (N=124) showed trends towards higher empathic concern (p=.065), while MI participants in Study 2 (N=131) reported higher empathic concern for the excluded player (p<0.05). MI participants in both studies wrote more comforting emails to them (p<0.01), as coded for prosociality (c.f., Masten et al., 2011). Only in Study 2 did MI participants passed the ball more to the victim in an ‘all play’ game (p<.05), presumably because their identity was less “known” than in Study 1; specifically, players’ photo images were loaded into the game in Study 1, but only first names were shared in Study 2. These studies underscore the potential for mindfulness training to foster sensitive attitudes across social and cultural lines within increasingly growing anonymous (i.e., online) contexts.

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  Of Shining Sea and Rising Sun: cultural storytelling in the genre of horror in video games

  Anna C. Webster

  In the modern era, video games are hardly the simple, mindless medium that they used to be. Rather, they are now being used as a vehicle for artistic expression and storytelling worldwide, creating a colorful and comprehensive new approach to the storytelling experience that was previously reserved for books or movies. The immersive nature of the medium provides for a richer and more stimulating experience, from which the genre of horror greatly benefits. Rather than the more passive experience the viewer gets from watching a movie or reading a book, video games allow for the player to be completely immersed, experiencing the story rather than just witnessing it. This general aspect combined with the opportunity for unique artistic expression and storytelling, provides for a better overall horror experience. Within the horror genre, there are two schools of storytelling: the Eastern Style (primarily from Japan and countries in the Far East), and the Western Style (particularly the United States). These styles are both unique with their approaches to the genre, begging the question: what do different cultures find scary? Through careful analysis of the Eastern and Western styles, we can understand the characteristics and unique components, identifying the reasoning behind them. An examination of broader social implications in the areas of religion, history, and psychology, will expand the scope of the digital media studies, providing a greater understanding of the continued evolution of human storytelling. The evolution and future possibilities of storytelling are explored in this study by examining the techniques and implications specific to these two identified schools within the horror genre of video games.

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  Modeling ATP-Binding Cassette G2 (ABCG2) Substrate Specificity

  Raghav D. Acharya, Aurijit Sarkar, and Glen E. Kellogg

  How well can we predict efflux by ATP-binding cassette G2?

  It is estimated that there will be about 1.6 million new cases of cancer and half a million cancer deaths in the US during 2015.ATP-binding cassette (ABC) efflux transporters such as ABCG2 are overexpressed in chemotherapy-resistant cancer cells. Anticancer drugs are prone to efflux by these transporters. Being able to identify drugs that are effluxed is of great interest in drug discovery.The current arsenal of methods used to detect efflux are not easily adaptable to high throughput formats and are limited in scope, making experimental analysis an expensive prospect. Hence, computational analysis of efflux is of interest. We accumulated a dataset of ABCG2 substrates and non-substrates which contains 179 substrates and 110 non-substrates. This dataset forms the basis for all studies reported herein. We attempted to identify descriptors capable of segregating substrates and non-substrates, ending up with Log P, Polar Volume, Atom Count, Radius of Gyration, Binding Energy, Length, and Width. They had significant differential distribution that could be used to build mathematical models to fulfil our goals. A statistical learning method that creates non-linear models called Support Vector Machine generated the best predictive models. This model demonstrated between 75-80% accuracy in identifying substrates and non-substrates. Importantly our model suggests mechanistic details of the efflux process; previous reports have suggested that Arg482 in ABCG2 is critical for transport of substrates. In conclusion, we were able to address efflux of chemotherapeutic agents by the ABCG2 efflux pump using a mathematical modeling approach.

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  The Fall of Teotihuacan

  Elizabeth P. Ale

  In this project I present a survey of multiple theories regarding the dissolution of the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan. This complex city-state was established around 100 BCE and became one of the largest and most powerful sites in Mesoamerica. Located about 25 miles northeast of what is today known as Mexico City, Teotihuacan was home to many advanced technological and social structures, including a pyramid called The Pyramid of the Sun that boasted a base as large as the Great Pyramid of Giza’s. At some time between the 7^th and 8^th century CE, Teotihuacan went into decline. On this poster, I highlight a few of the most prominent theories regarding the cause of this decline and then conclude with my own observations.

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  Asthma-Related Anxiety and Quick-Relief Medication Use in Urban Children with Asthma

  Sarah E. Astrab and Robin Everhart

  Among children, asthma is the most common chronic illness. Although not curable, asthma is manageable with the use of both daily controller medication and quick relief or rescue medication. Anxiety has been found to increase asthma symptoms in children. Caregivers who are anxious about their child’s asthma symptoms may perceive their child’s asthma as more severe or doubt their ability to manage their child’s asthma, which can result in the misuse of asthma medication. This study focused on the association between asthma-related anxiety and the use of quick-relief asthma medications in a low-income, urban sample in Richmond, Virginia. Child participants range in age from 7 to 12 years old (M=9.5 years, standard deviation (SD) =1.5). Data were collected from 53 families and 89% of the child participants from these families were African American/Black (8% Caucasian/White, 3% mixed/multiracial). Caregivers and children completed questionnaires at an initial baseline visit. Caregivers then completed surveys on a cell phone and measured their child’s lung function with an AM2 device for two weeks. We had three main hypotheses: 1) If a parent had high levels of asthma-related anxiety, then their child would have higher levels of asthma-related anxiety 2) If the parent had high levels of asthma-related anxiety, then the parent would provide the child with higher levels of quick relief asthma medications, and 3) If the child had high levels of asthma-related anxiety, then the child would receive a higher number of quick relief puffs. Hypotheses were analyzed while controlling for asthma control. Findings suggested that there was no significant association between parent and child asthma-related anxiety. A significant association was found between parent asthma-related anxiety and number of quick relief puffs such that higher levels of anxiety was associated with more rescue medication. However, this association was not significant when controlling for asthma control. The association between child asthma-related anxiety and number of quick relief puffs was also not significant. These findings are important to consider when looking at a child with asthma because poor asthma management could be associated with parent asthma-related anxiety. Other studies have suggested that if physicians are made aware of parent and child asthma-related anxiety levels, they could work with the families to determine the most appropriate way to approach asthma management techniques to best fit their specific circumstances. Further, our results suggest the importance of focusing on child anxiety in addition to parent anxiety as children and parents may be reporting different levels of anxiety related to asthma.

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  The Effects of Part-Time Work on Sleep Quality in College Students

  Katherine A. Beachy, Candace Moore, and Magda M. Smith

  Part time work can negatively affect sleeping patterns, resulting in poorer academic performance and a diminished sense of overall well-being. 521 undergraduate students working at least 20 hours per week were surveyed and self-reported post-work experiences and sleep quality. Results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that a block of four post-work experiences (psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery, and control over leisure time) were predictive of self-reported sleep quality. Completion of more mastery experiences and greater control over choosing post-work activities were both statistically significant predictors of higher sleep quality (Sonnentag, Binnewies, & Mojza, 2008).

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  Progression of the Representation of Female Protagonists in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Genres

  Dakota S. Becker

  Broadcast television has been plagued by the misrepresentation and absence of progressive female protagonists. Contemporary television programs have begun to address issues of diversity and empowerment, but it is questionable whether substantial strides in the representation of women have truly been made. The science fiction and fantasy genres in particular are infamous for perpetuating rampant sexism and the objectification of female characters. I analyze aspects of the television shows Orphan Black and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, two broadcast television series which aired over ten years apart, to broadly evaluate whether the science fiction and fantasy genres have progressed or regressed in terms of feminist values in the past decade. The criteria by which the two series are evaluated include the presence of the postfeminist “Girl Power,” the appropriation of “masculine” heroic power in conjunction with femininity, the presence of empowered sexuality, and heteronormativity. The research reveals that, according to the above criteria, Orphan Black, which has not previously been studied academically and which is an ongoing television series, surpasses Buffy in terms of empowered sexuality and the presence of heteronormativity. However, while it is clear that the representation of female protagonists have attained a greater degree of diversity in Orphan Black, it is difficult to identity clear boundaries by which to assess the feminist value of these characters. The Girl Power motif is present in both shows, an element of its feminist potential realized with the series’ emphasis on collectivity.

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  Stand-Up Comedy and Self-deprecating Humor

  Amelia M. Bell

  Stand-up comedy has been around for centuries, making people laugh for generations. Through the years the forms and techniques stand-up comedians use have shifted back and forth. Self-deprecation humor is one of these forms of humor, where the comedian pokes fun at his or herself, and it has recently become more incredibly popular in today’s society. Stand-up comedians like Louis C.K. have risen to newfound popularity by using self-deprecating humor almost completely in their sets. This paper attempts to answer the question of why audiences respond so positively to stand-up comedians who use self-deprecating humor. It does so by arguing that there are several reasons for this, including how self-deprecation is trending in other aspects of society and how self-deprecating humor rises and falls in popularity but always remain present in American humor. However the audience also feels more comfortable laughing directly at the comedian than at a certain controversial demographic, and although it is the comedian’s performance, by using self-deprecating humor, the comedian relinquishes some of his/her authority and power on stage to the audience because the audience has the power to decide whether to participate by laughing.

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  Combination of Music and Aromatherapy to Improve the Efficiency of Motor Functions and Speech in Patients Paralyzed From Stroke.

  Mounica Bevara

  With the rapid development of medical technology, millions of dollars are being spent on discovering innovative methods of treating fatal diseases such as stroke that may also result in temporary paralysis. Physiotherapy treatments aimed at restoring brain function in patients paralyzed following a stroke is subjective to the patient and does not guarantee complete rehabilitation. While many practitioners have attempted to employ complementary and alternative methods of treatment such as massage therapy, acupuncture therapy, siddha, and marma therapy, none of them proved to be equally as effective as physiotherapy. However, prior studies support the notion that aromatherapy used in combination with music therapy showed promising results. Aromatherapy, defined as using extracted oils from plants and herbs to naturally treat the body through oral or skin absorption, has been effective in halting the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death in cells. The inhibition of apoptosis may be principal in delaying the degeneration of brain cells. Music therapy, on the other hand, uses a process known as entrainment to access a paralyzed brain for rhythmic perception. These two processes are connected through transduction, which elaborates the relationship between the olfactory and auditory system that improves the efficiency of memory retention through familiar scents and sounds. Using aromatherapy in combination with music therapy is more effective because it is a self-paced treatment that does not require the administration of a trained professional. This alternative treatment for paralyzed stroke patients will be applicable to the general public if administered in reasonable doses under appropriate conditions.

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  Beyond the Horizon: The Limitless Potential of 3D Technology in Archaeology

  Rebecca Bowman

  My research started during the summer of 2014 with a joint internship at VCU’s Virtual Curation Lab and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources under the supervision of Dr. Bernard K. Means and Katherine Ridgway. The purpose of my research was to conduct a comparative study between the virtual and physical process of mending, or repairing, artifacts. I was granted access to three different vessel fragments which were improperly mended in the 1960s. It was my goal to remove the previous adhesive adhered to the sherds and replace it with a safer adhesive. Simultaneously, I brought the previously mended sherds into the Virtual Curation Laboratory to scan them into the three-dimensional computer software using the NextEngine 3D scanner. I used three-dimensional technology to experiment with different additive and subtractive methods in order to virtually mend the sherds and print out interactive replicas. I continued to take advantage of the interactive potential of three-dimensional technology to connect the public to my findings on a kinetic level. I used 3D technology to print puzzle games of various difficulty in order to allow the public to attempt physical mending themselves and then compare their results to the virtual mends. The first workshop I conducted using the interactive potential of my research received an enormously positive response from the public, whom had previously not shown much interest in my studies. Instead of reading about research, the community was able to learn, hands-on, the same way I learned. This process granted all individuals the ability to draw the same conclusions I drew myself. Three-dimensional technology allows for a deeper comprehension of the research process which makes learning more fun and memorable. Additionally, it evolves the current standards of research presentation methods into a tangible, interactive relationship with the public. With 3D technology not only are more research questions available to answer, but the educational benefits of kinetic learning are also applicable for all ages. With credit to three-dimensional technology, transforming the presentation of my archaeological research from primarily an academic audience to a public audience has expanded the communal comprehension of my findings. This allows for better communication and interaction with those in both academic and non-academic fields and broadens the potential for future use of three-dimensional technology in archaeology.

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  Queer Mysticism in the High Middle Ages: Pain, Love, Earth, and the Female Body in the Illustrations of Hildegard of Bingen’s Scivias

  Becky Bushnell

  Many view Hildegard of Bingen as one of the most important female theologians of the 12th century, and her writing and sphere of influence is remarkable considering her gender. Many scholars, like Barbara Newman, Caroline Walker Bynum, and Carolyn Worman Sur, agree that Hildegard’s portrayals of God in Scivias are distinctly feminine. Scholars like Karma Lochrie, Sheryl Chen, and Flora Lewis have written on Christ’s wound as a metaphor for the womb or vulva. Yet what scholars don’t seem to focus on, as Lochrie writes in “Mystical Acts, Queer Tendencies,” is the ways that the work of many female mystics in the 12th and 13th centuries falls outside of modern conventions of normal gender and sexuality. According to Lochrie, there exists a false “master narrative” which presents mystical interactions with God as indefinitely heterosexual and sometimes even ignores or twists evidence to fit this narrative. I claim that one could consider Hildegard’s visions in Scivias “queer” due to: her focus on the physicality and femininity of Christ through the figure of Caritas, the distortion of sexual gender norms through the feminization of Christ, and the conflation of pain with love and with the female body through maternal and/or erotic metaphors. By examining the text and illustrations of Scivias and the relevant research, I explore Hildegard’s feminine depictions of God in relation to sapiental tradition, courtly love and “love noir,” and the writings of female mystics in the 12th and 13th centuries. By examining Hildegard’s work in these ways, I have found elements that defy convention and the master narrative and that may further our understanding of female mystical sexuality in the high Middle Ages.

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  Assessment of the Neighborhood Environment and its Association with Gestational Age at Birth

  Brittaney A. Castro

  Preterm birth is one of the most persistent of health disparities and accounts for five times more African American versus European American infant death. The preterm birth rate in African American is nearly twice as high compared to European Americans. Recent studies have shown that a major contributor to this disparity is accounted for by the greater environmental heterogeneity seen in African American populations. The purpose of this study is to examine how the measured neighborhood environment influences race-specific preterm birth rates by: 1) assessing the degree of neighborhood heterogeneity that exists between self-identified race; 2) estimate the extent these sources influence preterm birth rates and; 3) compare the measured neighborhood environment (Neighborhood Inventory for Environmental Typology (NIfETy)) with a self-assessment of neighborhood quality (Neighborhood Environmental Survey (NES)). This presentation will show results that the NIfETy and NES are highly correlated and predict the occurrence of preterm birth. Additionally, results will provide support for our primary hypothesis that women who score higher in perceiving their neighborhood environment as safe/positive, were less likely have a preterm birth. Finally, I will summarize my practical research experience as part of my PSYC 494 internship recording field data for the NIfETy in an urban setting.

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  Can You Please Put Your Phone Away? Examining how the FOMO phenomenon and mobile phone addiction affect human relationships

  Laila A. Chaudhry

  This study attempts to identify how attachment to social media as well as attachment to other forms of communication technology can lead to addiction to mobile devices and affect non-virtual interpersonal communication. I examined the phenomenon known as the fear of missing out, or FOMO, which can be defined as apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent. Experiencing FOMO can lead to overuse of and even addiction to social media, another category I examined, because addicted individuals want to stay more up-to-date with social networks and social media is the most efficient way to do so. This, by default, also connects to overuse of mobile devices due to ease of access with mobile social networking applications. This addiction is linked to loneliness and depression in and of itself, but the general overuse of mobile devices also has negative effects on interpersonal face-to-face communication, the final category that I researched. Numerous studies showed that the use or even mere presence of a mobile phone decreased interpersonal trust in conversation partners. Therefore it can be inferred that excessive social media use can lead to loss of non-virtual connections. Further research into the psychological impact of virtual communication addiction is needed to explore these incredibly new phenomena and help to prevent addiction and negative associations with new technologies.

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  Post Traumatic Stress and Externalizing Behaviors in At Risk Urban Adolescents: A Prospective Study

  Angela Chung, Lauren Guerra, Jerry L. Mize II, Lena Jaggi, and Wendy Kliewer

  Adolescents in in urban areas are at a higher risk for experiencing direct victimization as well as witnessing violence directed towards others, which increases the amount of post-traumatic stress (PTS) they face (Joseph, S., Mynard, H., & Mayall, M. 2000). Experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been associated with a number of negative externalizing behaviors, such as increased delinquency, drug use and aggressive behavior in adolescents (Dierkhising, C. B., Ko, S. J., Woods-Jaeger, B., Briggs, E. C., Lee, R., & Pynoos, R. S. 2013). This association is especially relevant, as adolescence is a stage where youth are beginning to experiment and form life-long habits to manage life stressors. However, previous research has been limited regarding gender differences in PTS as males and females often have different ways of coping with traumatic events (Stevens, Murphy, & McKnight, 2003). This study closes this gap by investigating the connection between PTS and externalizing behaviors in the form of delinquency, drug use, and aggression in a sample of urban, predominantly African American adolescents. Data for this study comes from the first two waves of Project COPE, a four-year longitudinal study on violence exposure, stress responses and adjustment who were recruited from low SES neighborhoods in Richmond, Virginia. The sample included 166 males (46.4%) and 192 females (53.6%), all of whom were in grades five or eight and between the ages of nine and sixteen (M=12.13, SD=1.62) at wave 1 of the study. The participants consisted primarily of African Americans (91%). During annual in home interviews, participants provided assessments of PTS using the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) scale, and delinquency, aggressive behavior and drug use were assessed using the Problem Behavior Frequency Scales (PBFS). Linear regression analyses were conducted with and without gender as moderator. Results from this sample found no significant relationship between PTS and Delinquency (Beta=.074, p>.05) or Drug use (Beta=.035, p>.05) one year later. However, a significant relationship was found between PTS and aggressive behavior at year two (Beta=.185, p<.05). Interactions with gender revealed that the patterns of association between PTS and aggressive behavior were similar for males and females. Contrary to previous research, our results show no increased risk of drug use or rule-breaking behavior in this sample of adolescents from high violence neighborhoods, for either males or females. It is possible that the effects were short-term in this case rather than lasting. However, the significant relationship of PTS with increased physical aggression for all youth sheds light on possible long-term consequences of PTS and underscores a need to address this specific risk in low SES, urban samples with high prevalence of PTS. The data from our research further adds to the existing consensus suggesting that low SES, urban adolescents, due to unavailable resources, has the possibility of behaviors reemerging as delinquent behaviors.

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  Heterosexism Faced by Adolescents in the Rural United States: A Case for Implementing Student-Made LGBT Programs

  Beau W. Coggsdale

  GSAs, Gay-Straight Alliances, influence the heterosexist environment within a school system, especially rural schools. The data was collected from various journals documenting suicide rates and levels of self-esteem in rural environments. A lot of the data was collected was cross-referenced because of the lack of research into LGBT youth in rural environments. Much of the research that was conducted was focused on ameliorating internalized homophobia of urban LGBT youth instead of rural LGBT youth, so research into LGBT urban youth was applied to those in a rural environment. Heterosexism exists in school systems because of the lack of support for LGBT students in high school. Heterosexism is very damaging to the mental health of LGBT adolescents because it establishes homosexuality as being outside the norm, which leads to internalized homophobia. Harassment linked to adolescents’ perceived or actual sexual orientation can lead to anxiety, decreased self-esteem, lack of academic interest, a feeling of isolation, depression, and suicidal ideation. The aforementioned consequences of harassment often lead into adulthood. Also, there is a negative correlation between schools with an active GSA and the harassment experienced by the student. As the level of activity in the GSA increases, the amount of harassment decreases. The heterosexism results in students attempting to conform to heterosexual expectations, which results in students covering their actual sexual orientation and their gender identity.

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  Realistic Spiking Neuron Statistics in a Population are Described by a Single Parametric Distribution

  Lauren Crow 9370373

  The spiking of activity of neurons throughout the cortex is random and complicated. This complicated activity requires theoretical formulations in order to understand the underlying principles of neural processing. A key aspect of theoretical investigations is characterizing the probability distribution of spiking activity. This study aims to better understand the statistics of the time between spikes, or interspike interval, in both real data and a spiking model with many time scales. Exploration of the interspike intervals of neural network activity can provide a better understanding of neural responses to different stimuli. We consider different parametric distribution fitting techniques to characterize the random spike times of a population of neurons in the visual cortex of a mammal. Five different probability distribution functions were considered, including three mixture models, and their goodness of fit was determined through two criteria: maximum likelihood and Akaike Information Criteria. Despite being largely heterogeneous, both criteria indicated that one distribution, although different for each criteria, was the best fitting for all of the neurons in the data set. The Gamma-Gamma mixture distribution was the best according to maximum likelihood and the Exponential distribution was the best according to AIC. The statistical methodology applied to a burst model yielded the same results, and the AIC formula was further investigated to better understand its consistent selection of the same parametric distribution. We find that complicated neural spiking activity can sometimes be described by a single parametric distribution, which is hopefully comforting for theorists.

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  Trends in Chamber Music Composed by European Composers Who Became Deaf in the Romantic Era

  Vinh Dao

  This study attempts to discover if there are trends among the composition style of composers from the Romantic Era who went deaf. To ascertain the true nature of deaf composition, 10 scores were analyzed –5 scores from composers who were hearing or were not deaf yet and 5 scores from composers who were completely deaf. The scores were examined rather than recordings of these pieces as modern string quartets, piano trios, violin and piano duet players would not be able to replicate the sound and style of music from the Romantic Era. In particular, this study found that deaf composers featured an increased number of fortes, fortissimos, sforzandos, and subito fortissimos, a higher number of crescendos and decrescendos, a smaller percentage of notes that had a frequency equal to or above G6, and a large number of repetitive passages that are doubled and/or tripled, which results in an unbalanced sound between the melody and the accompaniment. As these trends were observed within all of the deaf composers in the Romantic Era being studied, this study contends that these trends could be ubiquitous among deaf composers. In the future, an additional study should be conducted among different musical eras to conclude the nature of deaf composition.

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  Increasing Vaccination Rates in Children of Vaccine-Hesitant Parents

  Keegan G. Edgar

  In recent years, the number of parents who have declining vaccinations or instituting altered immunization schedules for their children has risen. This has caused an increased number of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. It has also threatened herd immunity, which provides a measure of protection for those who are susceptible to disease given enough people are vaccinated, as this hinders the spread of the disease. To combat this threat to herd immunity, it is becoming increasingly necessary to find a solution to the problem of increasing personal belief exemption.

  I took a cause and effect approach in the way I researched the issue. I first analyzed the causes of vaccine-hesitancy. The overarching theme that emerged was that vaccine-hesitant parents believed that not enough attention was being paid to their child; doctors gave only general recommendations rather than specific ones. Then, I began exploring the way the problem was already being addressed. The two general methods were by incentivizing immunization or using tailored techniques. Incentivizing vaccination was found to be much less effective because it doesn’t address the concerns of the parents, and because most vaccine-hesitant parents are adamant in their beliefs. Tailoring information to give to parents is the more effective method because it alleviates the concerns of vaccine-hesitant parents, causing them to reevaluate their beliefs. However, in order for this method to be effective, healthcare workers must have greater education regarding vaccine risks and side effects as well as addressing these concerns in an effective manner.

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  The Subtle Role of Parenting in Gender Role Formation

  Naomi S. Eitches

  Despite the progressively modern trend towards gender equality, gender roles and gender stereotypes are still the underlying causes of numerous social problems. The prevalence of gender roles is evident from birth when the gender of the baby determines the treatment every child henceforth receives. This research analyzes how the parents or parent, unbeknownst to even themselves, subconsciously enforce gender roles on their offspring. By examining the dynamic between the parents and the interactions with their offspring, researchers have found evidence of latent parental behaviors and patterns that affect gender roles and gender stereotypes. The evidence illustrates a cycle of gender schemas that are passed from the parent to the child, this pattern is repeated continuously through the future generations. The research also indicates how this cycle, usually continued by the father, is an albatross to society as it also carries with it destructive behaviors, gender confusion, gender oppression and a gender binary. The cycle can only be stopped if the subliminal pressures attached to gender are eliminated. Until parents understand their involvement in enforcing strict gender binaries, they will continue to not only be a burden on their children, but also contribute to the struggles other children face as a result of gender stereotypes and confusion.

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  Proactive Conversation, 3D Printing, and an Old Nintendo

  Tesha C. Ellis

  Abstract

  One hundred years from now, it would be a true historical treat to be able to showcase 20th and 21st century digital entertainment by presenting video game consoles in mint condition for interactive, educational, play. Arguably, it would be more enlightening and informative for future audiences to be able to physically engage with the electronic artifacts instead of simply observing them behind glass. With the use of 3D technology, components of video game systems can be preserved, and then printed as needed for repairs. It will help keep them functional for future researchers, educators, and enthusiasts.

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  Spatial Analysis of Nest Productivity and Predation in Prothonotary Warblers

  Miranda Foster and Lesley P. Bulluck

  Generally, statistics are based off the assumption that observations are independent from each other in space. In larger ecological systems however, there can be spatial autocorrelation whereby data collected in nearby areas are not independent of one another which violates the assumption of most statistical tests. It is therefore becoming commonplace for ecological studies to study spatial autocorrelation to both eliminate error (accounting for a nuisance variable that could give false positives) and to better understand the spatial structure of their system of interest. Indeed, the mechanisms that lead to spatial autocorrelation are often associated with behaviors and/or intrinsic characteristics of our target species or community. In this study we investigated whether nest productivity and nest predation of the Prothonotary Warbler (Prothonotaria Citrea) were spatially autocorrelated at Deep Bottom Park along the lower James River, VA. Nest success and predation were measured at 66 different nest boxes over a period of four years (2009-2013). We found no spatial autocorrelation between these nest boxes when analyzing both reproductive success and nest predation events. This indicates that our observations are independent from each other in space, and spatial variables are not driving reproductive success or predation, rather individual bird quality is likely the main driver for these differences.

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  Using the Past to Restore the Future: Quantifying Historical Vegetation to Assist in Tidal Freshwater Wetland Restoration

  Christopher D. Gatens

  Wetlands have been providing humans with critical natural ecosystem services throughout our time on Earth. Nevertheless, these invaluable ecosystems have been habitually altered as a cost of human progression. Two of the most common alterations to wetlands are damming and filling. Both occurred along Kimages Creek in Charles City County, VA during the 19^th and 20^th centuries. In 2010 the Lake Charles dam was partially removed, restoring the creek’s tidal communication with the James River. Upon the recession of the body of water, numerous woody stumps were revealed. We studied these stump remnants in an attempt to assess the spatial structure and vegetative community of this forested freshwater tidal wetland before perturbation. We began by obtaining a geospatial coordinate for each stump, and every 10 stumps a cross-sectional wood sample was taken. These samples underwent taxonomic identification as well as aging in the lab. During this ongoing study, over 4,500 stumps have been geo-located and 413 samples have been processed. There were 15 unique species among 11 genera identified. The most abundant genus of trees was Fraxinus spp. (RD = 73.24%), and the next most abundant was Carya spp. (RD = 11.79%). The majority of the samples were of obligate or facultative wetland species (63.1%). We will soon compile the geospatial coordinates onto a GIS map and use the species data to better understand the native community. Recreating the natural historical vegetative community could help guide current restoration efforts in other locations in other mid-Atlantic formally impounded wetlands.

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  The Transition to Parenthood: The Role of Humility, Gratitude and Forgiveness

  Charlene M. Gaw, Elisabeth Alison, and Azza Hussein

  The transition to parenthood, while an exciting time to celebrate the life of their child, causes parents to face new challenges such as physical exhaustion (Petch & Halford, 2008), role overload (Perry-Jenkins, Goldberg, Pierce, & Sayer, 2007), and less time for themselves and their partners (Feeney, Hohaus, Noller, & Alexander, 2001). Today in the United States, 85% of women and 76% of men will have parented a child by the time they are forty (Roy, Schumm, & Britt, 2014), making this an important developmental transition to examine. Humility has been found to have numerous social benefits, among them the initiation and maintenance of romantic relationships (van Tongeren, Davis, & Hook, 2014). Prior studies have found that greater humility in romantic relationships increases relationship satisfaction and forgiveness (Farrell et al., 2015). Gratitude may also increase relationship satisfaction and commitment (Joel et al., 2013), and humility and gratitude may be related (Kruse et al., 2014). The current study sought to examine how humility is related to other virtues (i.e., gratitude and forgiveness) during the transition to parenthood.

  Participants included 69 heterosexual married couples (N = 138) that were expecting their first child. 72% were Caucasian and ranged in age from 22 to 48 (M = 30.8, SD = 4.76). Relational humility was assessed through behavioral coding with three observers who were female undergraduate research assistants. Observers obtained 80% or higher in reliability. The Relational Humility Scale (RHS; Davis et al., 2011) was used to measure humility in relationship partners. Other measures included Trait Forgiveness Scale (Berry et al., 2005) and the Gratitude Questionnaire (McCullough et al., 2002).

  Preliminary results examined correlations between study variables. Relational humility was positively correlated with forgiveness (r = 0.28) and gratitude (r = 0.33). A multiple regression analysis will be run to see if relational humility is associated with higher levels of forgiveness and gratitude. Additionally, analyses will be run to compare results according measurements of relational humility (i.e., self-report versus behavioral coding). Implications of this work would benefit new parents by promoting the virtues that support healthy and successful relationships during the transition to parenthood.