Undergraduate Research Forum 2017

52

The Undergraduate Research Review Committee

Honors Program Director

Erin Sadlack, Ph.D.

Honors Program Assistant Director

Brian Monahan, Ph.D.

College of Health and Human Services

Judith Williams, Ph.D.

Munley College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Michael Kiel, Ph.D.

Insalaco College of Creative and Performing Arts

Christa Irwin, Ph.D.

Reap College of Education and Human Development

Vijayachandra Ramachandra, Ph.D.

School of Architecture

Margaret McManus, M.Arch.

The Committee gives deepest thanks to

Mrs. Cheryl Cali and Mr. Michael Smith

for all their work in helping to organize this forum.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

The Rotunda

Undergraduate Research Forum

2017

Table of Contents

Research Project Titles By Department ………...2 Project Abstracts……………..…………………6-51 Organizers……………………………………...…52

http://www.marywood.edu/nutrition/faculty/detail.html?id=1fe64472-522c-4404-b274-3362b6faed62

2

Research Project Titles By Department

School of Architecture (page 6)

Sophia Assaf-Bautista

The Aesthetics in Adaptive Reuse

Athletic Training and Exercise Science (pages 7-10)

Emily Gerbehy

Female Collegiate Soccer Player With Spinal Injury

Taylor Ott and Michael Joyce

Acute Exercise Response to Hypoxia via Hypoxicator or Training Mask

Adam Larsen

Celiac Disease and the Athlete

Meghan Weeks

Type III Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in a Collegiate Volleyball Player with a

Torn ACL

Communication Arts (page 11)

Kyle Clouse, Rachel Looker, Kristen Pietryka, and Alex Weidner

College Media Association

English (pages 12-15)

Thomas Collins

The Hare Apparent: Exploring the Leadership Models, Heroism, and Idealism in

Watership Down

Amanda Duncklee

Who Saw the Monsters?: An Analysis of Perspective in Victorian Horror Novels

Sally Jellock

Harry’s Heroines: How the Female Characters in the Harry Potter Series Nurture

and Shape His Identity

Maria Lawrence

The Superhuman Power of the Written Word in Watchmen

51

Nicole Tanana

Sponsored by Samantha Christiansen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

“It’s a Rumor that’s Part of Our History:” Examining the Cultural

Influences of Russia’s Last Grand Duchess

Before 1918 Anastasia Romanov did not play a significant role in Rus-

sian history, let alone world history. However, in July 17, 1918, the

day of her death, she would take on a new role in the world. While An-

astasia was killed with the rest of her family by revolutionaries in the

overthrow of the Russian Tsarist political system in 1918, almost im-

mediately there were rumors of her survival. This rumor was initially

endorsed by the Soviet Government and was heightened by numerous

imposters who claimed to be Anastasia. From 1918 until 2016, the fig-

ure, and idea, of Anastasia has gone through many public manifesta-

tions. This paper will examine the cultural significance of the “idea” of

Anastasia. Why has this myth of her survival sustained such a long and

global interest? In what ways does the idea of Anastasia’s survival

serve a political or social currency in the almost 100 years since death?

I will explore popular and historical representations of Anastasia and

the meanings they may express from a historical, gendered, and cultural

angle. I will particularly focus on Western uses of the Anastasia story,

and the particular context in which they occur. Using examples such as

the Fox animated movie Anastasia (1997) and the March of 2017 forth-

coming Broadway preview of Anastasia: A New Musical, as well as

literature and popular media stories, I will evaluate these instances and

consider the situations that may have influenced her reoccurrences

throughout history. My research will provide a cultural explanation for

the endurance of Anastasia in the popular imagination sine her death,

and shed light on the role of historical figures and myths in collective

memories of the past.

50

Tanya Harty

Sponsored by Patrick Seffrin, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Drug Use among Adolescents: The Effects of Education

Poor general and mental health are associated with drug use among ad-

olescents, however effects may vary on education. The current study

investigates the relationship between mental health and drug use among

adolescents to determine the impact of education. Data from the Na-

tional Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health (Add

Health) are used in this study. The public-use version of the wave 1

data (N = 6,504) are analyzed using SPSS software. Preliminary anal-

yses from this database indicate that adolescents with poorer mental

health, as determined by a variety of variables, are at higher risk of us-

ing drugs when compared to adolescents who are of a better mental

health. Of these results, it is notable that those at high risk for drug us-

age include individuals who come from broken relationships, frequent-

ly believe that life is a failure, and frequently experience troubles in

their attempts to relax. This study also explores the extent to which ed-

ucation accounts for the effects of drug use on those with a poor mental

health status.

3

Psychology and Counseling (pages 16-35)

Justin Allen, Abigail Brown, and Heather Carr

Effect of colored paper on heart rate and self reported affect during the house tree

person activity

Emily Banfield

Working Memory Processing with Unpleasant, Neutral, and Pleasant Stimuli

Considering Anxiety Levels

Christopher Best

The Association Between Music Preferences and Personality

Abigail Brown

Effect of blue and red background color on speed of facial expression recognition

in sad and angry faces

Tiffany Carpenter

Music's Effect on One’s Ability to Retain Material and Complete Cognitive

Joseph Ducas

Effects of Social Media Usage On Sustained Attention

LeahBeth Evans

The Effect of Music Preference on Cognitive Performance

Shayna Finn and Theresa Longstreet

The Influence of Music Genres on Memory Recall

Clarissa Fischer

The Effects of Idealistic Advertisements on Self-Esteem in Young Adult Male

and Females

Tawny Husosky, Courtney Capwell, and Megan Refice

Narcissism, Impulsivity, and Sex Differences

Patricia Ingulli and Shelby Ohotnicky

The Impact of Positive and Negative Emotionally Stimulating Images on

Memory Recall

Jeffrey Kelly

A study on the perception of time and how it relates to difficulty of task

Emma Ledden, Courtnie Perri, and Ashley Caldaro

Morbid Curiosity and the Media: a Determination of Empathy in Individuals

4

Psychology and Counseling (Continued) (pages 16-35)

Andrew Murray and Laura McNamara

On Examining the Correlative Natures between Parental Influence and College

Major of Choice and Personality Traits and College Major, and the Expected

Differences in Levels of Satisfaction

Tara O'Neil, Anna Balanovich, and Amanda McNamara

Anxiety in Undergraduate Students in Relation to Extroversion and Trust

Nicole Rabecs

Differences in Memory in Regards to Gender

Jenna Santarsiero and Victoria Hunsinger

The Effects of Music on Memory

Heather Schultz, Sean Gaughran, and Breanna Latourette

Addictive Social Media, Self-Esteem, and Narcissism in College Students

Erica Viola

The Role of Learned Helpless and Anxiety in Test Taking and Learning

Stacey Watkins

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and the Reduction of Anxiety

Science (pages 36-48)

Bridget Barnic

An Investigation of the Antimicrobial Properties of Traditional Home Remedies

Shanna Carwell

Characterization of Phthalates as Contaminants in Unscheduled Alcohol Samples

from the Baltic Region

Justine Chanthachackvong, Angela Ngo, Marlee Holleran, and Patricia Lee

SEA-PHAGES: Roy17, Gotta Catch em' All!

Kaleb Davis

Double-stranded RNA klf-2 microinjected into Caenorhabditis elegans klf-3 mu-

tant: effects on morphology and fecundity

Jenna Fallone, Thomas Christopher

Potential Treatment of Acne Using Antimicrobial Compounds Found in

Essential Oils

Trevor Flynn and Abigail Hein

SEA-PHAGES Roy17 Research Project

49

Maryrose Evanella

Sponsored by Patrick Seffrin, Ph.D., Associate Professor

The Influence of Depression and Family Bonds on Variation in

Adolescent Drug Use

Depression, family bonds, and problem behavior are associated with

drug use among adolescents, but affects may vary based on race and

personal choices. The current study investigates the relationship be-

tween depression and drug use among adolescents with weak family

bonds. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and

Adult Health (Add Health) are used in this study. The public-use ver-

sion of the wave 1 data (N = 6,504) are analyzed using SPSS software.

Preliminary analyses suggest that adolescents with strong family bonds

are at lower risk of using drugs and experiencing depression as com-

pared to adolescents with weak family bonds. People who are de-

pressed a lot of the time are more likely to use drugs than those who are

never depressed. Also, those who lie to their parents about their where-

abouts 5 or more times are 98% more likely to use drugs. Further anal-

yses will explore the extent to which family bonds, depression, and

problem behavior accounts for an adolescents drug use.

48

Dekonti Sayeh, Emily Onyshczak, Alyssa Tirella, Ama

Gajanayake, Julianna Turnbach, Logan Brighton, Mariah Casey,

Emily Medwid, John Shebby, Angelo Brutico, Toni Shipman,

Chris McCann

Sponsored By Christopher Brey, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Soil Isolation and Genome Annotation of Bacteriophage Faze9

A select group of science majors at Marywood University were given

the opportunity to participate in the Sea-Phages Program, sponsored by

the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. This was the first time Mary-

wood partnered with the University of Pittsburgh which was the host

school of the project. Marywood is one of 97 schools participating in

this course. The Sea-Phages program is a two semester course that in-

volves collecting soil samples to extract viruses (bacteriophages) that

attack bacteria. The bacteriophages were isolated from Mycobacterium

smegmatis. The phage we are currently annotating is Faze9 draft. In

the first semester, students performed multiple experiments to isolate

the bacteriophage such as, enriched isolation, plaque assay, spot assay,

serial dilutions, DNA isolation, and restriction digest. In the second se-

mester, students annotated genes (phages from cluster B2) using DNA

master. The function found by blasting the gene were done in phamera-

tor, ncbi blast, and phages db, HHpred; these databases compared

Faze9 draft to other genes in the B2 cluster. Faze9 draft contains a to-

tal of 67,503 base pairs and 92 genes. It also has a GC content of

68.9%. The wet lab gave the students an insight on what research in the

field would look like. Overall, this was an enjoyable experience for

those involved getting to participate in research.

5

Hannah Gobble, Courtney Paulus, and Sienna Senn

Phages… The Antibiotics of the Future

Sara Goodson

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ellagitannins

John Grossi

The End to Antibiotic Resistance

Christina Kazanas, Noah Karasik-Tiewski, and Christopher Cariffe

Digging up Diamonds with Newly Found Bacteriophages: Mycobacterium

phage Roy17

Camille Kotcho, Amanda Lisi, and Emma Moser

SEA-PHAGES Cleaned Up From the Dirt

Paul Kraycer

Caenorhabditis elegans Krüppel-like Transcription Factor Family Genetic Analy-

sis: Examining klf-2 and klf-3 Interaction

Caitlin Kurey, Kuntal Patel, and Jordan Vossler

Enhanced Luminol Chemiluminescence with Silver and Gold Nanoparticles

Rebecca Lukasak

Genome-Wide Expression Analysis of 3 Mutant Yeast Strains

Sarah Rotell and Victoria Grugnale

Novel Methods for Antibiotic Susceptibility Using Traditional Remedies

Dekonti Sayeh, Emily Onyshczak, Alyssa Tirella, Ama Gajanayake, Julianna

Turnbach, Logan Brighton, Mariah Casey, Emily Medwid, John Shebby, Angelo

Brutico, Toni Shipman, Chris McCann

Soil Isolation and Genome Annotation of Bacteriophage Faze9

Social Sciences (pages 49-51)

Maryrose Evanella

The Influence of Depression and Family Bonds on Variation in Adolescent

Drug Use

Tanya Harty

Drug Use among Adolescents: The Effects of Education

Nicole Tanana

“It’s a Rumor that’s Part of Our History:” Examining the Cultural Influences of

Russia’s Last Grand Duchess

6

Sophia Assaf-Bautista

Sponsored by Jayashree Shamanna, Clinical Instructor

The Aesthetics in Adaptive Reuse

There is currently a loss of identity in architecture due to globalization.

While the world has become more diverse, it has also become much

more homogenized. This has lead to a lack of place in the urban context,

where there is a need for architecture that establishes a genius loci while

simultaneously relating to the contemporary world. This thesis will ar-

gue for the aesthetics of adaptive reuse and establish how this approach

contains beauty in its method of preserving the past while continuing a

sense of place into the future. This research will additionally showcase

these ideas by using Scranton, Pennsylvania as a platform to apply this

thesis. Major projects from around the world will also be cited as case

studies. Additionally, this research will draw upon academic evidence

from architectural and philosophical movements that are pertinent to

adaptive reuse and preservation. Theoretical themes of nostalgia, identi-

ty, genuineness, and place all will be explored as further evidence.

These examples will serve to explain the aesthetics of architecture in

adaptive reuse as a means to substantiate genius loci. Design proposals

will support this thesis in the context of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

47

Sarah Rotell and Victoria Grugnale

Sponsored by Mary Ann Smith, M. A., Instructor

Novel Methods for Antibiotic Susceptibility Using

Traditional Remedies

Antibiotic resistance is the process of bacteria adapting to an antibiotic

over time, so the pharmaceutical no longer has the ability to attack the

bacteria. The World Health Organization (WHO) publicly announced

that antibiotic resistance will sweep the nation as top health concern by

2020. The problem is that there is not enough of a variety of classes of

antibiotics. Without being treated, antibiotics infections can spread. If

researchers do not come up with other mechanisms to treat bacteria, the

human population will eventually become resistant to all antibiotics

and lack proper treatment for infections. Antimicrobial resistance was

tested in this research by creating Mueller-Hinton and plate count agar

which were infused with traditional herbs, such as cinnamon and grown

basil. Bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and

Bacillus cereus were grown and plated among several different condi-

tions in which controls were kept for comparison. The idea is that natu-

ral herbs and spices can have antimicrobial properties that can aid in

the fight against bacteria. These novel methods were used and results

were recorded in hopes to find a correlation between traditional reme-

dies and antibiotic susceptibility.

46

Rebecca Lukasak

Sponsored by Lisa Antoniacci, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Genome-Wide Expression Analysis of 3 Mutant Yeast Strains

The yeast nuclear envelope protein Mps3 functions in several aspects

of chromosome metabolism such as sister chromatid cohesion, telo-

mere clustering, and DNA damage repair. In addition, Mps3 physically

and functionally interacts with the histone variant Htz1. Htz1 was pre-

viously identified as a histone variant that prevents DNA from forming

silent heterochromatin as a way to regulate transcription. Because of

the involvement of both of these genes in chromosome metabolism, it

is hypothesized that both of these genes may also function in regulating

gene expression. In order to assess genome expression wild type yeast,

2 Mps3 mutants (mps3-3 and mps3-5) and an htz1∆ strain were exam-

ined for genome wide expression levels in asynchronously growing

cells. The data generated will be analyzed for both up-regulation and

down-regulation of gene expression in comparison to the wild type

strain. Identification of expression differences between the wild type

and mutant strains would suggest a function for Mps3 and Htz1 in

gene expression.

7

Emily Gerbehy

Sponsored by Jason Edsall, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Female Collegiate Soccer Player With Spinal Injury

A 22 year old female collegiate soccer player with no previous medical

history of spinal pathology struck by opponents kneed in the lower

back during a contest. Patient complained of pain and inability to move

from quadruped position. Pain was reported by the athlete as sharp and

shooting and pain scale immediately post injury nine out of ten. Patient

was removed from the field via utility vehicle. Patient was referred to

the local medical facility via ambulance for evaluation. For this case

the initial radiography read as normal. Additional diagnostic testing

performed included: MRI, a CT scan, diagnostic ultrasound and addi-

tional radiographs. Testing revealed lumbar vertebrae transverse pro-

cesses fractures of L2-L5, spinous process fracture of L3, left partial

atelectasis and left meralgia paresthetica. Patient was non ambulatory

and in manual wheelchair for 5 months. The Initial treatment involved

one week inpatient neurotrauma unit at regional medical center

followed by 6 week inpatient rehabilitation in neurotrauma unit at reha-

bilitation hospital. Multiple lumbar fractures combine with lung and

neural conditions presented in this case are common in motor vehicle

accidents or falls from heights in osteoporotic individuals and are rare

in non-collision female sports. At 52 weeks post injury the athlete re-

turned to full participation in women's soccer. This case presents signif-

icant trauma sustained while participating in regular sport where person

to person contact resulted in potentially life altering injury. The patient

underwent one year of intense treatment in order to return

to participation.

8

Adam Larsen


Celiac Disease and the Athlete

Current research indicates that prevalence of Celiac Disease diagnosis

is on the rise and estimated as high as 1 in every 133 adults in the Unit-

ed States and 1 in 100 worldwide. This increase in recent years high-

lights the importance to increase understanding and awareness in Ath-

letic Training professionals. Celiac Disease is a genetic autoimmune

disorder characterized by an intolerance to Gluten. Gluten is a sub-

strate; comprised of a mixture of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin, and

can be found in many different foods that include wheat, barley and

rye. Celiac Disease is characterized by an increased lymphatic response

in the small intestine can lead to intestinal villi atrophy. This damage to

intestinal villi results in malabsorption issues leading to additional ane-

mia or lactose intolerance. Neurological and behavioral issues, includ-

ing neuropathy and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, are addi-

tionally associated with this disorder. Celiac Disease is difficult to di-

agnose and generally includes an exclusion diet and Tissue Transglu-

taminase Antibodies blood test. Symptoms and manifestations that ac-

company this disorder including over 200 possible signs and symptoms

commonly including abdominal discomfort, failure to thrive, and mal-

absorption issues. It is imperative for athletic trainers to be aware of

this condition and identify individuals with possible Celiac Disease and

the fundamental concept of establishing and educating an athlete in a

gluten free diet.

45

Caitlin Kurey, Kuntal Patel, and Jordan Vossler

Sponsored by Mary Lynn Grayeski, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Enhanced Luminol Chemiluminescence with Silver and

Gold Nanoparticles

The effect of silver and gold nanoparticles on the chemiluminescent

reaction of oxidation of luminol by hydrogen peroxide is evaluated for

potential development of improved analytical measurements. Both gold

and silver strongly enhance the chemiluminescence with as much as

10% increase in intensity observed with both types of nanoparticles.

Addition of gold nanoparticles results in higher relative light emission.

This enhancement can be explained due to a catalytic effect. This effect

is examined in the presence of various metal ions for changes in chemi-

luminescence intensity and kinetics. Enhancement is observed in the

presence of cobalt, iron, and copper. The highest intensity is obtained

with cobalt. Kinetic characteristics will be discussed as they relate to

analytical measurement implications.

44

Paul Kraycer

Sponsored by Christopher Brey, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Caenorhabditis elegans Krüppel-like Transcription Factor Family

Genetic Analysis: Examining klf-2 and klf-3 Interaction

Caenorhabditis elegans Krüppel-like Transcription Factor Family Ge-

netic Analysis: Examining klf-2 and klf-3 Interaction. The free-living

nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a model organism that contain

genes in the Krüppel-like Transcription Factor family (klf) that are

homologues to klfs found in humans. klfs are important in the storage

of lipids in the intestines of C. elegans and play a major part in the for-

mation of adipose cells. Their control over adipose cells causes them to

be linked to predisposition to obesity and type-2 diabetes in humans.

Studies have shown that the klf-2 and klf-3 genes are both important in

the storage and utilization of fatty acids within the intestine by promot-

ing fatty acid ß-oxidation, however little research has been done exam-

ining the interaction between these two transcription factors. Prelimi-

nary tests suggests that klf-3(RB1603) mutants mate at an inefficient

rate. Thus, In order to study the interaction between these gene we per-

formed RNA interference via microinjection on klf-3(RB1603) mutants

in order to knock out the klf-2 gene. The F1 generation of these worms

will be visibly screened using light microscopy for any changes in mor-

phology. Similarly, they will screened for the amount of progeny pro-

duced for the extent of sterility. Finally the worms will be stained with

Oil Red O-stain to examine any differences in fat accumulation.

9

Taylor Ott and Michael Joyce

Sponsored by Angela Hillman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Acute Exercise Response to Hypoxia via Hypoxicator or

Training Mask

The Training Mask 2.0™, an increasingly popular hands-free respirato-

ry muscle training modality, proposes to mimic high altitude via re-

striction of inspirable oxygen; however recent research has called into

question the degree to which The Training Mask 2.0™ is able induce

hypoxic conditions. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to inves-

tigate the efficacy of this RMT modality in comparison using a hypoxi-

cator during acute aerobic exercise. METHODS: In this study, eight

apparently healthy, regularly active participants were recruited (Age:

25 + 8 years; Height: 166 + 12 cm; Weight 64 + 10 kg; VO2max: 46 +

6 ml/kg/min). Participants completed three trials, each including resting

metabolic rate measurement, pulmonary function tests and 13 sprint

intervals at 90% VO2max using either the hypoxicator (6,000 ft.), The

Training Mask 2.0™ (6,000 ft.), or control condition. RESULTS:

There was no significant difference in metabolism (F = 0.03, p = 0.97)

or heart rate (F = 0.09, p = 0.91) between conditions. Only fraction of

expired air in the first second (FEV1.0) was significantly greater post

exercise with the hypoxicator (F = 6.97, p = 0.02), while oxygen satu-

ration was significantly lower during exercise with the hypoxicator (p <

0.001). CONCLUSION: The Training Mask 2.0™ does not appear

to change acute pulmonary function following high intensity exercise

as measured by forced inspired and expired air. It also does not change

metabolism, heart rate or oxygen saturation, indicating it likely does

not create a hypoxic environment and or

mimic altitude.

10

Meghan Weeks


Type III Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in a Collegiate Volleyball Player

with a Torn ACL

Background: 19 year old patient presents with a history fracture

4th and 5th metatarsal, right grade III anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)

sprain, bilateral glenohumeral subluxation, bilateral inversion ankle

sprains. Patient presented with hyperextensibility, chronic pain, signifi-

cant bruising during regular practices and competitions. Patient pre-

sented with left grade III ACL tear. Differential Diagnosis: Along with

a possible ACL tear there were signs presenting towards; Hypermobili-

ty Syndrome, Marfan Syndrome, Loeys-Dietz Syndrome, anemia, Eh-

lers-Danlos Syndrome. After extensive test there was a sign in her gene

system that pointed to a deformity and a unique chain that causes hyper

laxity and hyper extensibility. Treatment: Subject underwent autograft

ACL reconstruction harvesting portions of the semitendinosus and gra-

cilis tendons. No adaptations were installed into the surgical or rehabil-

itation protocol by the physician to accommodate her diagnosed genetic

disorder. Uniqueness: This patient presented with a previously undoc-

umented mutation within a specific strand of DNA making her the only

diagnosed case worldwide. Patient demonstrates characteristics and

symptoms of all 6 types Ehlers-Danlos syndromes she was diagnosed

with type III as it most closely aligns with her clinical manifestation

although the patient additionally presents with symptoms from many

different types. Conclusions: The manifestation and clinical presenta-

tion of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Post diagnosis, the patient was highly

recommended not to compete in athletics though continues to partici-

pate at the collegiate level. Athletic Trainers should be aware of the

risks that can take place and did take place to better inform themselves

of risk bearing disorders such as this. Relevant Evidence: Ehlers-

Danlos diagnosis of all 6 types is prevalent in 1 out of every 5000 peo-

ple. Type 3 involving hypermobility is prevalent in 1 in every 20,000

people. There is limited evidence concerning ligamentous damage for

patients with this should be aware of the risks that can take place and

did take place to better inform themselves of risk bearing disorders

43

Camille Kotcho, Amanda Lisi, and Emma Moser


SEA-PHAGES Cleaned Up From the Dirt

SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing

Genomics and Evolutionary Science) is a research program that begins

with digging up soil samples to find bacteriophages, which are viruses

that infect bacteria. The specific bacteria used in this lab is Mycobacte-

rium smegmatis, also known as Smeg, which is closely related to Myco-

bacterium tuberculosis, the cause of the respiratory infection tubercu-

losis. The soil samples collected were then isolated and purified in at-

tempt to discover phages. Within the SEA-PHAGES program at Mary-

wood University, two phages were discovered that were able to be am-

plified. These phages were named Faze9 and Roy17. From these phag-

es, DNA samples were extracted and sent to the University of Pitts-

burgh to obtain a complex genome annotation. When the sequences

were sent back to Marywood, the students of the SEA-PHAGES lab

examined the sequences and analyzed each gene with precision. Work-

ing to discover bacteriophages is an important process that will be very

beneficial in the near future. It is estimated that in 2020, most antibiot-

ics will stop being effective throughout the medical world. With this

being said, a new method of treatment must be created and prepared

before this issue arises. It is in great hope that phages will be an im-

portant aspect of these new treatments. This poster will better examine

the discovery and analysis of Roy17, a phage discovered my students

of Marywood University.

42

Christina Kazanas, Noah Karasik-Tiewski, and

Christopher Cariffe


Digging up Diamonds with Newly Found Bacteriophages:

Mycobacterium phage Roy17

The use of Phage’s biological properties is a surfacing topic due to the

increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Founded by Howard Hughes

Medical Institute, one specific program focuses on the importance of

this topic. SEA-PHAGES, or Scientific Educational Alliance - Phage

Hunting Advancing Genomic and Evolutionary Science, utilizes col-

lege undergraduates to partake in discovery-based research. Methods:

Roy17 was extracted from soil of Marywood University campus

grounds; the phage was brought back to the lab to be isolated, purified,

amplified, extracted, characterized, put under a microscope in that or-

der, and had its genome annotated. Gene annotation included the use

of Phamerator, ncbi blast, protein blast, Starterator, and DNA Mas-

ter. Phage Roy17 was characterized and had its genome sequence an-

notated with analyzation of genes. Results: Phage Roy17 was classi-

fied among the Siphoviridae family based on its morphology, defining

the family based off of observation under the Transmission Electron

Microscopy (TEM). Siphoviridae family is a double stranded DNA

virus that infects bacteria to replicate and lyse the bacteria. Phage

Roy17 is marked in its lytic cycle. The complete genome size is

68,056 bp with 104 genes, making Phage Roy17 one of the larger

phages in the Siphoviridae family. Roy17 was able to lyse all if not

every Mycobacterium smegmatis. Conclusions: The results may show

potential in lysing M.smegmatis and its cousin Tuberculosis.

11

Kyle Clouse, Rachel Looker, Kristen Pietryka, and Alex Weidner

Sponsored by Lindsey Wotanis, Ph.D., Associate Professor

College Media Association

Members of the Marywood Media Group, a newly formed group within

the Communication Arts Department, traveled to Atlanta in the Fall

2016 semester to attend College Media Association’s Fall National

College Media Convention.

The College Media Association serves student media and works with

professional media organizations on national levels. The organization

holds two conferences each year.

During the trip, the media group also attended the Society for Colle-

giate Journalists’ (SCJ) Biennial Conference. SCJ is a national society

with one hundred national chapters. The media group worked on revis-

ing changes to the SCJ constitution and heard from keynote speaker

Mary Beth Tinker, who is known for the Tinker v. Des Moines Su-

preme Court case.

The group presented two sessions at the College Media Association

Convention. The first, “From Green to Golden: How Training Retreats

Can Shine Up Your Staff,” focused on training new staff members

within a media organization, specifically within a newspaper staff. The

second presentation was called “It Doesn’t have to be Lonely at the

Top” and explained the importance of sharing responsibilities between

an editor-in-chief and managing editor in a college media news organi-

zation.

Members of the media group attended other sessions throughout the

three day convention and learned about different types of media and

communication tools and techniques for podcasts, television program-

ming, film, and journalism.

12

Thomas Collins

Sponsored by Erin Sadlack, Ph.D., Associate Professor

The Hare Apparent: Exploring the Leadership Models, Heroism,

and Idealism in Watership Down

Far away from the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of Anytown,

U.S.A., just beyond the pastures of quaint English farms, there exists a

wilderness of wonder. This marvelous place created by author Richard

Adams, invites us into a fantasy world where rabbits display human-

istic traits. Throughout the novel, Adams presents the reader with four

different leadership models. Each model will be compared and con-

trasted to determine which one exemplifies an example of great leader-

ship. Heroism is an important theme consistently showcased within the

novel and examples of this will be presented. The rabbits of the story

each live in a warren community. The leaders of each warren rule over

their communities in vastly different ways. The main group of rabbits

led by Hazel set out to find a place where they can establish their own

ideal warren. Along the way, Hazel and the others learn valuable les-

sons about leadership which helps them create the type of society

they’ve always wanted.

My poster will show the four different leadership models residing in

the novel. Each model will include the positive and negative attributes

associated with that type of leadership structure. It will also include a

breakdown of the heroism and idealism themes present in the novel.

This project is important to me because it examines leadership in a

unique way by utilizing nature and the environment as vessels of edu-

cation and prosperity.

41

John Grossi


The End to Antibiotic Resistance

SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance- Phage Hunters Advanc-

ing Genomics and Evolutionary Science) is a program where students

search for bacteriophages in their nearby environment to use for further

research in antibiotics. In modem medicine, viruses are becoming re-

sistant to antibiotics that doctors use to treat lethal diseases. Because of

the overuse of these types of medicines, there must be a new type of

medicine to the cure diseases we already found the cure of. This pro-

gram allows students to use their bacteriophages on Mycobacterium

smegmatis, which is a common relative to the disease that is commonly

known as tuberculosis. The finding of Faze9 can further help research-

ers in finding new ways to cure tuberculosis. Faze9 can be a new way

to stop the ongoing crisis of antibiotic resistant. The SEA-PHAGE pro-

gram worldwide will find millions of new bacteriophages to allow re-

searchers to have an endless source of different types of treatment to

stop the bacterial resistance to antibiotics in tuberculosis.

40

Hannah Gobble, Courtney Paulus, and Sienna Senn

Sponsored by Mary Ann Smith , Instructor

Phages… The Antibiotics of the Future

By 2020, most if not all of the antibiotics currently being prescribed

today will no longer exist, or will not be effective. Antibiotic resistance

is a growing concern around the world, but the question is what comes

next? Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that can attack and destroy

specific harmful bacteria cells. By simply digging in the dirt and then

through a series of filtrations, plating, and serial dilutions, student re-

searchers discovered different phages from the Marywood campus, that

joined a long list of phages discovered though the Howard Hughes

Medical Institute’s Science Education Alliance – Phage Hunters Ad-

vancing Genomic and Evolutionary Sciences (SEA-PHAGES) Pro-

gram. The researchers encountered several obstacles including an ini-

tial lack of phage, severe contaminations amongst their bacteria, and

technical difficulties. Through some trial and error, Roy17 was finally

discovered, one of several Marywood Phages. After being sequenced at

the University of Pittsburgh, the students used the software, DNA Mas-

ter, to code and call the different genes. The hope is that the phages

found can undergo more extensive research in the future and one day

be used to treat different infections, such as tuberculosis.

13

Amanda Duncklee

Sponsored by Helen Bittel, Ph.D., Associate Professor, and Erin

Sadlack, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Who Saw the Monsters?: An Analysis of Perspective in Victorian

Horror Novels

If seeing is believing, what happens when we cannot see, yet are ex-

pected to believe? In Victorian horror/gothic novels Dracula by Bram

Stoker and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis

Stevenson, there is no omniscient third person narrator who tells us ex-

actly what is happening in the works; instead, multiple characters with-

in the texts give their accounts of the action. The characters experience

evil firsthand and embark on tremendous adventures to combat horror

while we sit outside the pages, anxiously reading the lines from the

characters’ perspectives. We read chilling accounts of the supernatural

Dracula’s plans to create more vampires and unsettling observations of

Dr. Jekyll’s duality of character; yet, due to the lack of omniscience,

we readers are removed from the stories and must challenge ourselves

to seek truth within the narratives.

Only through letters, telegrams, diary entries, and oral storytelling do

the characters in these novels give their versions of what occurs in their

respective worlds. The multiple communication media and the lack of

omniscience resulting from the various narrators adds another layer of

mystery to these works. Readers can read the story, but they are re-

moved from the events due to the shifting perspectives and must con-

stantly question the accounts they are given. In this paper, I will exam-

ine how this unorthodox use of perspective in Dracula and Strange

Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde challenges the readers to pay close

attention to the text in order to determine the truth of the action as well

as how the authors’ use of perspective contributes to the horror and

mystery of these works.

14

Sally Jellock

Sponsored by Helen Bittel, Ph.D., Associate Professor, and Erin

Sadlack, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Harry’s Heroines: How the Female Characters

in the Harry Potter Series Nurture and Shape His Identity

The story of Harry Potter depicts the harrowing journey of a child on

his discovery to find out who he is and where he belongs. Throughout

seven novels, readers of all ages can experience the happiness, the sad-

ness, and the terror surrounding the life of Harry Potter. Along with

Harry, readers can attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizard-

ry; they can communicate spells and interact with fantastic beasts.

Readers must be reliant upon their imagination to even begin to per-

ceive these stories as anything more than a story. However, Harry

would not have been able to succeed if it was not for the role of women

throughout these novels. In a story about a motherless male hero, I will

explore how women in his life shaped this main character’s identity.

39

Trevor Flynn and Abigail Hein


SEA-PHAGES Roy17 Research Project

The SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Ad-

vancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science) project is a discovery-

based undergraduate research course that investigates bacteriophages.

The program started by digging and collecting soil sample in the at-

tempt to find new viruses. These sample collections were used for di-

rect and enriched isolation techniques that aimed to isolate the phages

from the bacteria. After a phage population was isolated, the processes

of serial dilutions, plaque assay/spot plating, titer calculations and other

techniques were performed. The phages were sent to be archived and

the genome sequences of the phage Roy 17 was sent back to be ana-

lyzed. DNA master was used to identify characteristics of the genes in

its frames window as well as allow for the products of each of 104

genes were protein blasted using NCBI Blast and Phagesdb Blast to

find already sequenced matching genes and their functions. The im-

portance of this research is internally that it provides an insight into the

research aspects of analyzing an undiscovered phage and enriches the

knowledge of certain laboratory techniques and sequencing of ge-

nomes. Externally the importance is that every new phage discovered is

valuable for quickly understanding what the phage is capable of doing.

This experience helped construct an understanding of research proce-

dures, aseptic technique, extraction and isolation processes, the ability

to properly plate both through spot plates and plaque assay, DNA Mas-

ter, the blasting process, and overall of bacteriophages and the scien-

tific process of research.

38

Kaleb Davis

Sponsored by Christopher Brey, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Double-stranded RNA klf-2 microinjected into Caenorhabditis

elegans klf-3 mutant: effects on morphology and fecundity

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a model organism used to

study gene interactions. Krüppel-like Factors (klf) are transcription fac-

tors that are important in fat regulation. Deregulation of klf’s results in

abnormal fat accumulation that can result in obesity and diabetes in hu-

mans. C. elegans is an ideal model to study klf’s because while

humans have 17 klf genes, C. elegans have only 3. The purpose of this

study was to examine the interaction between klf-2 and klf-3 in the

form of a double mutant. These double mutants were created by mi-

croinjecting klf-2 dsRNA into a klf-3 (ok1975) mutant. Progeny at the

L4 stage of microinjected worms were individually transferred to plates

to be examined for fecundity and morphological differences. Fecundity

was studied by counting eggs laid by progeny and returning after 24

hours to count how many eggs had hatched. Morphological studies

were performed by examining double mutant progeny under a com-

pound light microscope with focus on the reproductive region. Results

will be presented at the meeting.

15

Maria Lawrence

Sponsored by Erin Sadlack, Ph.D., Associate Professor

The Superhuman Power of the Written Word in Watchmen

Allow me to take you back to the year 1985: to an alternate world

where Richard Nixon has remained president, tensions between the

United States and Russia are at an all-time high, and superheroes are

real. This fictional universe, portrayed in Alan Moore’s comic book

series Watchmen, is filled with crime and corruption and its people full

of fear and frustration—not so unlike our own. For my research, I will

be presenting the impact literature and media has on society in Watch-

men, and how chillingly relevant it is to our society today. In Watch-

men, we are continually reading newspaper headlines and watching

news segments, as well as reading one character’s journal entries and

another’s autobiography. These are just a few examples of the various

media in which Moore immerses us. I will argue that by giving us in-

sights into all of these different forms of media, Moore shows us how

much control the written word has over our thoughts and how many

decisions we make are based on our exposure to these works.

16

Justin Allen, Abigail Brown, and Heather Carr

Sponsored by Joshua Dobias, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Effect of colored paper on heart rate and self reported affect

during the house tree person activity

Findings have indicated that colors affect both physiological and emo-

tional functioning. Several investigations have taken place in the realm

of psychology, but another field has taken interest in the effects of col-

ors, namely the effect of product and advertising colors. Marketing has

worked on understanding the different attitudes associated with each

color. (Shi, 2013 p. 2). Research has also shown that color can affect

heart rate variability, and more sympathetic responses, but findings

have often been inconclusive (Birren, 1950). The proposed experiment

will measure changes in heart rate as well as positive and negative af-

fect, under three differing conditions for each individual. The house

tree person exercise will be conducted on three separate pieces of pa-

per; white, blue, and red. It will measure any changes between the trials

by self-report, using the PANAS and a heart rate monitor. The partici-

pants in this experiment will be college students from Marywood Uni-

versity, in accordance with the IRB application standards. It is expected

that the results will indicate that heart rate increases with the red col-

ored paper and decreases with the blue. The results of this study could

aid in the field of color psychology by adding on how color changes

specifically positive or negative affect instead of overall mood.

37

Patricia Lee, Justine Chanthachackvong, Angela Ngo, and

Marlee Holleran


SEA-PHAGES: Roy17, Gotta Catch em' All!

SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing

Genomics and Evolutionary Science) is a national project that research-

es mycobacterium phages. The purpose of the SEA-PHAGES research

is to find bacteria to help prevent further antibiotic resistance from oc-

curring, especially in Mycobacterium sp. The course has the goal of

discovery and understanding microbiological techniques, complex ge-

nome annotation, and bioinformatics analysis. Soil was extracted from

a location on the Marywood University campus and filtrated. Through

varied microbiology techniques, DNA was able to be extracted from

the filtrate and sent to the University of Pittsburgh, who then sequenced

and documented the genome. The phage Roy17, has been documented

on phagesdb.org as four different phages named Roy17, Hazard4,

Mulch63 and Peac17. Roy17 has been placed in the sub-cluster B1,

composed of phages with the host mycobacterium. The 104 gene-

encoded proteins of Roy17, a mycobacteriophage, were analyzed and

recorded by student researchers. Software programs, such as DNA

Master, Starterator, GeneMark, and others, were used to help determine

the information including the gene’s coding potential and function.

Throughout this experiment, it was learned that not all of Roy17’s

genes were called, some genes were actually deleted (numbers 3 and

55). Researchers were also able to make note of each gene’s coding

potential, which accounts for the protein’s interaction between the

phage and bacteria. The phage, as well as the data annotated will be

added to the phagebank at the University of Pittsburgh to be used as a

host for further research with antibiotic resistance.

36

Bridget Barnic


An Investigation of the Antimicrobial Properties of Traditional

Home Remedies

Common household spices such as cinnamon, paprika, oregano, cumin,

and nutmeg possess properties that, when consumed, have medicinal

effects in the body. Some act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory

agents, others treat diseases and conditions such as diabetes and gastro-

intestinal disorders. In this study, the aforementioned spices will be

tested against different bacteria in order to discover if they exhibit anti-

microbial effects. With these results, further investigation can then be

pursued to identify the exact properties within the spices responsible

for the antimicrobial effects. The information gathered can then be used

to develop alternative and natural ways to treat bacterial infections, as

opposed to the regularly prescribed antibiotics. The need for this type

of research is of particular importance today due to the increasing con-

cern surrounding the antibiotic resistance of bacteria. According to the

CDC (2014), “Each year in the United States, at least 2 million people

become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at

least 23,000 people die each year as a direct result of these infections.”

The answer to this dire situation may not have to be accompanied by

panic and an investment of billions of dollars in the research labs, but

perhaps a look on the kitchen spice rack will do.

17

Emily Banfield


Working Memory Processing with Unpleasant, Neutral, and

Pleasant Stimuli Considering Anxiety Levels

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between

working memory processing and anxiety levels for unpleasant, neutral,

and pleasant affective stimuli. Research suggests that anxiety may af-

fect working memory processing because anxiety occupies attentional

resources by focusing on anxiety provoking stimuli which leaves less

attentional resources to attune to a task. It is still questioned whether

this bias towards threat in individuals with anxiety will then leave anx-

ious individuals with an advantage and increased working memory per-

formance with unpleasant stimuli because they already are attuned to

this type of information. It is also questioned then if anxious individu-

als would be at a disadvantage with pleasant stimuli due to their bias

towards threat. The rationale for this study was to examine the relation-

ship between anxiety and working memory processing of neutral,

pleasant, and unpleasant stimuli to see if a relationship exists and to

what extent they are correlated. Participants took the State–Trait Anxie-

ty Inventory for Adults measure to indicate anxiety levels. Neutral, un-

pleasant, and pleasant words and pictures were shown to participants

followed by a complex OSPAN task involving simple math equations.

Participants then indicated which stimuli they had previously seen.

18

Christopher Best


The Association Between Music Preferences and Personality

The Big 5 personality test has been used for years in studies as a frame-

work to help map the relationship between personality and music pref-

erences. There are 4 dimensions of music that were consistent when

comparing them against the Big 5 factors of personality. These dimen-

sions consist of the reflective and complex dimension, which was de-

fined by the genres blues, jazz, classical and folk music; The intense

and rebellious dimension, which was defined by rock, alternative and

heavy metal music; The upbeat and conventional dimension, which was

defined by country, sound track, religious and pop music; The energetic

and rhythmic dimension, which was defined by rap/hip-hop, soul/funk

and electronica/dance music. The STOMP, or Short Test Of Music

Preference, was used to determine which categories participants fell

into. Previous studies have revealed that Extraversion and Openness are

among the personality factors with the strongest ties to music prefer-

ences. After replicating these studies, it is expected that the relationship

of music/music preference and personality traits will be confirmed. It is

also expected that the results can then be used to help determine the

relationship of other factors such as Academic performance.

35

Stacey Watkins

Sponsored By Joshua Dobias, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and the Reduction

of Anxiety

Recent research, scientific speculation, and anecdotal evidence have

suggested there may be a causal relationship between the ability to ex-

perience Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) and the

ability to experience a reduction in anxiety. This current study attempts

to explore this relationship through five hypotheses: 1) people who ex-

perience ASMR show greater reduced anxiety levels than people who

do not experience ASMR; 2) people who experience tingling and/or

euphoric sensations while experiencing ASMR show greater reduced

anxiety levels than people who do not experience those sensations; 3)

the ability to cope with one’s anxiety increases after experiencing

ASMR; 4) people who view ASMR-related media for the purpose of

reducing their anxiety show greater reduced anxiety levels than people

who view ASMR-related media for other purposes; and 5) people with

higher anxiety levels consume more ASMR-related media than people

with lower anxiety levels. Subjects will be given a series of question-

naires that will measure demographics, current anxiety levels, and the

ability to experience ASMR. Subjects will also be shown an ASMR

video via YouTube while wearing binaural headphones. Subjects will

complete the demographic and two anxiety questionnaires, view the

ASMR video, complete the two anxiety questionnaires again, and lastly

complete the ASMR questionnaire. This current study is important be-

cause the findings, if significant, can contribute to the realm of alterna-

tive treatments to reduce anxiety in those that suffer from the disorder’s

symptoms, along with validating the consensus from those of the

ASMR community that experiencing ASMR helps to reduce their

anxiety.

34

Erica Viola


The Role of Learned Helpless and Anxiety in Test Taking

and Learning

The purpose of this study was to explore the idea and theory of

learned helplessness and how it affects people in their daily lives

through simple tasks or test taking. This study involved three surveys

analyzing learned helplessness and anxiety. The participant first took

an anxiety screening survey followed by the learned helplessness sur-

vey. The next part of the study had the participant look at an index card

with three words on it and their goal was to unscramble each word and

make it into a new word. An example of this is the word “dog” and

how it can be unscrambled into the word “God”. The next index card

had three more words, except the first word is impossible to unscram-

ble and the last word is difficult. I learned from this study that many

participants have low levels of anxiety if any and that the people with

the low levels of anxiety had more difficulty moving past the first

word, which was impossible and did not get to solve the second and

third word which was possible to be unscrambled. This experiment

shows the effect of how anxiety plays a role in any task that requires

cognitive skills and how failing at these tasks can result in a feeling of

helplessness in future tasks. This study shows that in even simple cog-

nitive tasks a feeling of helplessness can cause impairment to finish a

task and could also greatly increase someone’s anxiety especially if the

task is left unresolved.

19

Abigail Brown

Sponsored by Edward Crawley, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Effect of blue and red background color on speed of facial

expression recognition in sad and angry faces.

Previous research has illustrated that context clues such as background

color can alter the speed of emotional recognition. Red, specifically has

been proven to increase the speed by which individuals recognize angry

faces as opposed to other facial expressions such as happiness and fear

(Young et. al 2013). This study will expand upon this research by repli-

cating the red trial contrasting red and gray backgrounds with happy

and angry expressions, as well as using blue backgrounds to explore

the connection between sad and happy facial expressions. The purpose

of this study is to discover whether or not background color affects the

speed of facial expression recognition; specifically questioning if red

increases the speed when identifying angry faces and if blue increases

the speed of recognizing sad expressions. This will be done by catego-

rize facial expressions as efficiently as possible by using keys that cor-

respond to the three listed emotion labels; anger, happiness, and sad-

ness.These images will be assigned to a gray, blue, or red background.

The results of this study could aid in the field of color psychology by

adding onto how color changes affect the ability of individuals to rec-

ognize facial expressions. If significant, the results could inform thera-

pists and researchers of how colors can influence their clients and par-

ticipants, which would help them to cognitively choose materials

knowing the effect of that color on expressions.

20

Tiffany Carpenter


Music's Effect on One’s Ability to Retain Material and

Complete Cognitive

The purpose of this study is to explore the difference between consum-

ing music while reading and completing a task versus completing a task

or reading independently. Participant will be briefed on general proce-

dures for the study. (a) Participants will be asked to complete two ques-

tionnaires to assess the relationship between genres listened to and per-

sonal retention. (b) Depending on the participant’s answer to the ques-

tion on the survey that states “do you listen to shuffle while reading or

a particular genre” will determine what they will play on the provided

iPod. (c) While listening to this particular genre or shuffle music they

will be asked to read a list of eight words that vary in complexity. This

task is estimated at two minutes. (d) Once the task above is complete

the participant will be asked to detach a simple pen while listening to

music. (e) Than reassemble the same pen they detached. This task is

estimated at eight to eleven minutes. In total the study will take be-

tween ten to fifteen minutes. When both questionnaires are complete,

as well as the two cognitive task’s participants will be thanked for their

participation and will be given credit for their participation through the

SONA system. I purpose that music has an effect on one’s ability to

multitask effectively.

33

Heather Schultz, Sean Gaughran, and Breanna Latourette


Addictive Social Media, Self-Esteem, and Narcissism in

College Students

As social media in our society has increased its popularity and in-

creased its influence in today’s world, the need to examine what traits

are most easily influenced or affected by social media is crucial, as is

evaluating how much of an effect it has on people’s daily life and their

own perceptions of themselves. A main goal of our research is to close-

ly examine the ability for social media addiction to be used as a psy-

chological predictor of narcissism and self-esteem. Specifically, we

will be examining these three variables among Marywood University

college students; our participants will be selected using convenience

sampling through an online survey that will be accessible to the Mary-

wood student body. The assessments will be completed online using

three different assessments to measure each variable, the Bergen Social

Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), the Rosenberg self-esteem Scale,

and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory 16. At the end of the assess-

ments, we will include a section for demographics in order to analyze

whether or not characteristics such as gender, race, or age plays a role

in the correlation between social media usage, narcissism, or self-

esteem. We predict that based on our data, we will find a positive cor-

relation between social media usage and narcissism, and a negative cor-

relation between social media usage and self-esteem.

32

Jenna Santarsiero and Victoria Hunsinger


The Effects of Music on Memory

The purpose of this study was to determine whether music influenced

learning concentration and to see which kind of music influenced con-

centration the most. Previous studies have shown that classical music

can help concentration in work areas. This study attempted to see how

music influenced concentration in a more academic environment. Par-

ticipants underwent three different experimental conditions. Two con-

ditions had participants listen to dub-step and classical music while

reading a passage and the third condition had no music while they read.

After each passage was read the participants answered questions that

corresponded to the readings. The findings of this proposed study will

determine the influence certain music has on concentration. The study

can also show how previous findings in work areas can be applied to an

academic environment. Also, the findings can help improve memory

for students by finding out which music works best for them while

completing a certain task for school related things such as studying or

doing homework. Last, results can help advance how people learn and

retain new information.

21

Joseph Ducas


Effects of Social Media Usage On Sustained Attention

Social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter are accessed by

millions of people on a daily basis. Our technological-driven society is

constantly changing the way we learn, prioritize, and communicate

with one another. The purpose of this study is to: establish a relation-

ship between heavy use of social media outlets and the effect on one’s

ability to sustain attention. It can be predicted that prolonged activity

on social media sites can have consequences on one’s ability to focus

attention, which can lead to cognitive deficiencies. The Sustained At-

tention to Response Task will be administered where participants will

be presented with a series of numbers on a computer screen and asked

to press the spacebar each time a number appears, aside from the num-

ber 3. When 3 appears, they are asked not to press the space bar. If they

do, it will be counted as an error and indicate a lack of focus. Partici-

pants in this study will also be asked to complete a questionnaire relat-

ing to his/her social media usage (how many hours on average per day

does he/her spend on social media, how many social media accounts

does his/her have). The participant’s social media questionnaire will be

recorded and associated with the Number of Errors and Average Re-

sponse time recorded on the Sustained Attention to Response Task. I

propose that participants who report high usage of social media sites

will perform more poorly on the Sustained Attention to Response task

then participants who report a lower usage.

22

LeahBeth Evans


The Effect of Music Preference on Cognitive Performance

Music is known to stimulate various regions of the brain. Previous re-

search regarding the effects of music on cognitive performance have

focused on utilizing specific genres, or various levels of sound intensi-

ty. Furthermore, prior studies relating music to cognitive performance

have focused on basic memory recall, or on mathematical computation.

The current study allows subjects to select music which they perceive

as enjoyable, and makes no prior presumptions about an individual’s

perceptions of various genres. Subjects’ cognitive performance is as-

sessed through reading comprehension, and recall of pertinent

information.

Subjects were asked to complete an initial survey listing their most fa-

vorite and least favorite songs. Each individual read two different read-

ing passages; one while listening to a favorite song, and one while lis-

tening to a least favorite song. Comprehension questions were present-

ed after each reading, relating to the passage. Cognitive performance

was measured by the ability to successfully answer the comprehension

questions. Subjects also completed a final questionnaire evaluating the

performance task. It is hypothesized that subjects will demonstrate bet-

ter cognitive performance while listening to a favorite musical selec-

tion, rather than when listening to an unfavorable musical selection.

This research is intended to show whether music preference has an ef-

fect on cognitive performance, and may also provide further evidence

as to ways in which students may enhance and improve learning tasks

to promote more positive cognitive performance outcomes.

31

Nicole Rabecs


Differences in Memory in Regards to Gender

Are there differences in the memories of females and males? Evidence

from various studies suggests that the answer to this question varies

across many factors, such as age, as well as location, level of education,

income, etc. The purpose of this specific study is to examine the age

differences within the gender differences of individuals’ memories. In

the cases of the older individuals, the information gathered from the

studies I referenced indicated that although there were not specific

memory performance differences by gender, the women did perform

better than the men on tests of auditory memory, while the men per-

formed better than the women on tests of visual memory. In the cases

of young adults, the study I referenced indicated that in regards to fac-

es, females tended to remember happy faces better than men remem-

bered happy faces, but, on the other hand, there didn’t seem to be a dif-

ference between males and females in regards to their memories of an-

gry faces. Finally, in a general study I found consisting of women and

men aged between 16 and 69 years, the results indicated that the wom-

en performed better on tests of auditory memory while the men per-

formed better on tests of visual memory, which was consistent with the

results of the study of the older adults.

30

Tara O'Neil, Anna Balanovich, and Amanda McNamara


Anxiety in Undergraduate Students in Relation to

Extroversion and Trust

The objective of this study is to perform correlational research of re-

ported anxiety in relation to levels of extroversion and trust in under-

graduate students. As undergraduates are emerging into adulthood, ad-

ditional responsibilities can impact the anxiety levels of these individu-

als. The purpose of examining individual’s internal processes is to

identify if a score in one variable can predict a score in the others. A

survey consisting of three parts was distributed to participants in order

for them to self-report their levels of anxiety, extroversion and trusting

tendencies. The hypothesis of this study is participants that report the

highest levels of anxiety will also score the lowest in the extroversion

and trust survey portions. The examination of undergraduate’s scores

will provide insight into how personality and internal processes are po-

tentially connected. If the hypothesis is supported by the data, future

research could examine the different anxiety coping mechanisms used

by extroverts may be the cause the correlation of the lesser anxiety

levels.

23

Shayna Finn and Theresa Longstreet


The Influence of Music Genres on Memory Recall

The purpose of this study was to identify a relationship between vari-

ous music genres and how they impact a person’s memory recall abil-

ity. Participants were asked to study a list of 10 words while music

played for 30 seconds. They were then asked to complete a question-

naire consisting of 5 multiple choice questions pertaining to their famil-

iarity of the song and their mood while listening and studying. After the

questionnaire was completed, they were asked to write as many of the

words that they could recall on the back of the questionnaire. They did

this sequence with different lists of words and different songs four

more times for a total of 5 attempts. The genres included; rock, pop,

classical, acoustic, and country music. The intended results that the re-

searchers expect are that the classical and acoustic songs will produce a

better word recall since these songs are easier to listen to while study-

ing as compared to rock songs which can be overwhelming and

distracting.

24

Clarissa Fischer


The Effects of Idealistic Advertisements on Self-Esteem in Young

Adult Male and Females

Low Self-esteem has many influences, one of the largest being from

advertisements. Idealistic Advertising of the body influences and cre-

ates western cultural ideals that companies exploit to target self-esteem

and to promote customer company loyalty and business revenue. Ideal-

istic advertising refers to the considered apex of beauty or masculinity

supported through company advertisement. Low elf-esteem manifests

itself in different ways, resulting in health problems such as eating dis-

orders and depression in both men and women. Although, when ad-

dressing the implications of advertisement and its connections to self-

esteem, most studies have focused more on women than men. There is

very little research done regarding the influence on men from idealistic

advertisements regarding their self-esteem. Therefore the purpose of

this study was to take into account that men are just as likely as women

to be influenced by idealistic body advertisements. The Research in-

cluded two groups male and female. Both groups were separated and

each individual was shown a slide show containing same-gender mod-

els found within company advertisements. The participants were pre-

sented with a pretest-posttest survey that will measure their self-esteem

before and after the treatment procedure as well as memory tests that

regarded the slideshow advertisement pictures. The results gathered

were used to correlate male self-esteem and female self-esteem to find

that men may be just as likely as women to be influenced by idealistic

body advertisements and therefore would merit that men should be just

as recognized within low self-esteem research in this field.

29

Andrew Murray and Laura McNamara


On Examining the Correlative Natures between Parental Influence

and College Major of Choice and Personality Traits and College

Major, and the Expected Differences in Levels of Satisfaction

This study will accumulate data that attempts to examine the correlative

nature of a student’s choice in major and their satisfaction with the cho-

sen major. The study will use the “Big 5” personality traits to specify

particular personality types and see if there is a correlation between

personality and choice of college major. Once a correlative nature has

been established, then students whose personalities match with the ex-

pected college major will be asked to rate their satisfaction with that

major on a scale of 1-10. This set of data will be compared to another

set which will contain data retrieved from students whose choice of

major co—aligns with the college major/career path of their parents.

These students, too, will be asked to rate their satisfaction with their

current major of choice on a scale of 1-10.

28

Emma Ledden, Courtnie Perri, and Ashley Caldaro


Morbid Curiosity and the Media: a Determination of Empathy

in Individuals

Evidence from several research studies suggest that there is a relation-

ship between levels of morbid curiosity and levels of empathy in indi-

viduals. Morbid curiosity is considered to be a neurotic response that is

formed from constant exposure to morbid events. Studies have suggest-

ed that curiosity about morbid events is a form of sensation-seeking,

which is unique to various personality factors in individuals. Morbid

curiosity has also been considered to be a safe and normal outlet for the

expression of destructive impulses. The purpose of this study is to test

the correlation of the relationship between levels of morbid curiosity

and levels of empathy through the use of various surveys. We first de-

termined which individuals are morbidly curious, and then measured

their levels of empathy. We predict that there will be a negative corre-

lation, meaning that those who have higher levels of morbid curiosity

will have lower levels of empathy.

25

Tawny Husosky, Courtney Capwell, Megan Refice


Narcissism, Impulsivity, and Sex Differences

The purpose of this experiment is to better understand whether or not

impulsivity is related to subclinical narcissism, and whether or not

these traits are more prevalent in either of the sexes. We hypothesize,

based on the limited findings of past research on this topic, that sub-

clinical narcissism and impulsivity will be positively related to one an-

other and that both traits will be more prevalent in males than in fe-

males. Two instruments have been selected to measure narcissism: the

Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), and the Narcissistic Admira-

tion and Rivalry Questionnaire (NARQ). The Barratt Impulsivity Scale

(BIS-11) will be administered to measure impulsivity. Participants will

complete these questionnaires on Marywood’s SONA System in the

following order: demographic survey, NPI, BIS-11, NARQ. Based on

the data attained from the completion of these instruments, we will

evaluate whether or not these traits are related, and if they are more

prevalent in males or females.

26

Patricia Ingulli and Shelby Ohotnicky


The Impact of Positive and Negative Emotionally Stimulating

Images on Memory Recall

The working memory is part of the short-term memory in charge of

quick recall of temporary information to complete simple tasks. It has

been demonstrated that emotions affect our memory of happy, sad, or

traumatic life events but there is conflicted research on whether or not

emotionally valenced stimuli has an impact on our working memory.

Inconsistent findings within the literature prompted our research to de-

termine whether or not associating positive and negative emotions with

images will result in more accuracy during short-term recall. Partici-

pants are first shown a series of images showing positively and nega-

tively valenced stimuli including 4 positive and 4 negative categories of

stimuli, each containing 5 images. They are then shown the same series

containing replaced images and asked to record whether they have al-

ready seen the pictures. Data is analyzed by determining the percent-

ages of participants’ correct and incorrect responses as well as the va-

lence of stimuli which yields incorrect responses. Our hypothesis is that

participants will record more inaccurate responses when the stimuli are

negatively valenced.

27

Jeffrey Kelly


A study on the perception of time and how it relates to difficulty

of task

My project looked at how a person perceives the flow of time while

trying to accomplish a difficult task whether it would seem to speed up,

slow down or flow at the normal rate. In regards to my poster I have

explained what took place during each part of the experimental period

by including the tasks my subjects were asked to complete, as well as

give the perceived times the subjects believed it took to complete each

individual tasks. I have also included an analysis of the results of each

task that has led my to conclude that my hypothesis was correct in as-

suming that the more difficult the task, the faster time is perceived to be

moving. At the end of my poster I have also included some thoughts on

how to make the experiment more thorough if another person or group

would like to expand on the work. I have also included some confound-

ing variables that could skew the data being collected by the research-

ers as well.

Undergraduate Research Forum 2017

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