-
The Effects of Age, Anxiety, and Family Size on Wing-Tail Flicking in American Crows
Nicholas Kordic, Dave Colucci, and Anne Clark
Wing tail flicking, a sharp coordinated movement of wingtips and tail, is a common, yet little understood behavior of American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos). It may be an expression of anxiety, a signal to other crows, or both. We recognize three levels of intensity, differentiated by height of wing tip flicks and involvement of tail, and propose that fledgling crows will wing tail flick (WTF) less because they may not recognize danger and thus will be less anxious. If also a signal, adults may wing-tail flick to alert other family members to danger. Here, we analyzed over 14.5 hours of video of nine wild crow families with between two and six members. Four experimental trials were conducted with each family: three baseline trials with food alone, and one trial with both food and a novel stimulus, included to induce anxiety. We recorded the number and intensity of wing tail flicks, the age class of the individual, and the amount of time it was in view using BorisTM software. While the behavior of individuals varied within and between families, adults tended to WTF more than fledglings and at higher rates in novel stimulus relative to baseline trials. This supports the hypothesis that adults are more responsive to danger and that learning about perceived threats may increase WTF rates with age. We also found a weak, positive relationship between WTF rate and family size that suggests that WTFs could be socially contagious, spreading through a group once one individual expresses anxiety.
-
Prison Systems in Northern Europe Versus the United States: Differences in Treatment and Success Rates
Ava Kovacevic and Emma Settle
The United States prison system is notorious for neglecting the basic needs of prisoners. In contrast, Northern European countries (e.g., Denmark, Norway, Netherlands) tend to have reputations for more humane prison systems. This comes from a difference of philosophy in the purpose of prisons, punishment versus rehabilitation. We are exploring the connection between policies and conditions to the recidivism rates of prisoners, as well as the effectiveness of their reintegration into society through comparison of both approaches. Some services we investigate are education, counseling, and drug related rehabilitation. We hypothesize that practices in the correctional systems impact rates of reoffending and the ability of former inmates to reintegrate into society. The comparison of these two approaches is a natural experiment, the results of which have the potential to influence carceral policies.
-
Anxious Emotions Lead to Anxious Solutions? Examining the Relationships Between Emotions, Alcohol Consumption, and Consent
Maya Kovic, Emily Jebens, Madison Mark, Crystal Zhu, Vlad Rosenberg, and Anta Noor
College students report several motives for alcohol consumption when engaging in hookups including: social enhancement, conformity, and coping with unwanted anxious emotions (Lobby et al., 2019). Research is currently mixed about how alcohol impacts sexual consent, and how emotions may drive these factors (Lobby et al., 2019; Marcantonio and Jozkowski, 2021). Socially-oriented anxious emotions, such as nervousness and insecurity, decrease when drinking alcohol in a social setting, and some college students report that alcohol consumption may be habitual prior to attending social events in order to relieve anxiety, a practice known as “pre-gaming” (Blumenthal et al., 2010). Additionally, alcohol consumption may be interpreted as a "cue" for consent by a prospective sexual partner, leading to decreased verbal consent (Blumenthal et al., 2010). Whether or not socially-oriented anxious emotions are a moderator for alcohol consumption's role in navigating consent in a hookup, or what role these emotions play in relation to alcohol consumption and sexual consent, are not well understood. The current study aims to examine the relationships between anxious emotions, level of alcohol consumption, and the ability to consent. Two surveys were released to a mid-sized northeastern university in 2020 and 2021. Participants (N = 453) completed online questionnaires using Qualtrics software. Researchers analyzed five questions from the survey related to anxious emotions, motivations for and levels of alcohol consumption, and perceptions of consent. Researchers analyzed the data using SPSS software, testing the relationships between alcohol consumption, consent, and anxious emotions. Results have implications for university sexual assault prevention and policy.
-
Unhealthy Lifestyle Behaviors and Dietary Patterns Lead to Mental Distress?: An Analysis of Mental Distress Through Diet and Lifestyle Behaviors
Maya Kovic, Lauren Meyer, Alexander Talkachov, Denis Driscoll, and Daniel Marrache
Research has identified several relationships between diet, mental distress, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. One particularly popular diet type in America is the Western diet, which is filled with many processed and high sugar foods. This study examined the Western diet, and various more nutritious diets and their effect on participants' mental distress as well as their lifestyle behaviors. The experiment utilized an anonymous survey consisting of questions relating to diet, mental distress and lifestyle choices. A survey was released to a mid-sized northeastern university. Various college aged students from the university (N=161) and students from other universities (N=27) completed the survey. The survey was conducted to participants through several social media outlets, and also over text messages. Various questions from the survey were analyzed, such as (1) “In the past 7 days, how many times did you eat breakfast?” and (2) “In the last month, how often have you felt confident about your ability to handle your personal problems?”. Survey results were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Results indicated there is a positive correlation between healthy dietary patterns and healthy lifestyle behaviors and a negative correlation between healthy dietary patterns and mental distress. Results supported that hypothesis that various types of nutrient dense food led to decreased feelings of depression and hopelessness. Results support that healthy lifestyle behaviors and healthy dietary patterns improve overall health and decrease mental distress. It is recommended to increase sample size to further study and understand these relationships.
-
The Color of the West Coast
Kate Langsdorf
Art can be a portal through time and space, into the mind of an artist. James Suzuki was an artist born in Japan, who moved to the United States at the age of 19, shortly after World War II. Through the study of his 1973 oil painting, West Coast, this project investigates the ways in which Suzuki’s connections to the artistic traditions and cultures of both America and Japan are displayed. This work combines the genre of Color Field painting--recognized for its use of color as the central focus of the art--with natural imagery from the Japanese tradition. Color Field painting emerged from the hyper-American Abstract Expressionist art movement that developed during the postwar period and was used as a representation of ideal American values such as freedom, individuality, and innovation. During a time when art was seen as intrinsically political, West Coast connects two opposing narratives by using imagery from his Japanese background within the aesthetics of the Color Field genre. Through Suzuki, I explore the dynamic between the nations of the United States of America and Japan insofar as they affected the lives of Japanese Americans as expressed through art. I take note of Japan’s unique position in the global context, both broadly historically and as it changed after the war. I synthesize primary accounts with sources from across disciplines into a consideration of the role of Japanese American artists, reflecting influences from Japan, a nation which is geographically distant, and from America, which is culturally distant.
-
How the Consumption of Biased Western News Media Creates Susceptibility to Disinformation
Rachel Lastowski
Scholarly studies of political communication and news media bias demonstrate a clear pattern of manipulated information in the news through bigoted narratives in order to cultivate particular perspectives in their audiences; this paper argues that this consistent framing of information has unintentionally created an information environment that makes its consumers more vulnerable to disinformation narratives. In order to demonstrate these dangerous framings, this study will examine the disinformation spread by the Trump campaign about voter fraud during the 2020 US presidential election and Fox News’ related segments. Fox News’ segments can be examined through news media bias frameworks that help to identify their manipulation of events that coincide with the disinformation spread by the Trump campaign and connect directly to the sentiments that incited the Capitol riot. Using these findings in tandem with the current trials surrounding the insurrection in the Capitol underscores the real-life consequences of news media bias in relation to disinformation. Understanding this direct relationship between traditional news media and disinformation narratives is essential to having a greater understanding of disinformation’s spread and how to combat it.
-
Rudolf Baranik and the Entanglement of Art and War
Ryan League
Art has always been political, but the events of World War II gave rise to an entire generation of notably political artists. Rudolf Baranik is one of these painters, known for his outwardly dark, abstract compositions. He considered himself an activist artist, and he coined the term “social formalism” to characterize his work, as he saw his ideological views as an inseparable aspect of his art. His firsthand experience witnessing the horrors of World War II resides at the heart of his politically charged art. Homage to Munch III (1968) is perhaps the strongest statement of this influence, as it refers to the famous painting The Scream (1893) by Edvard Munch, which had been widely displayed as a symbolic protest against the Vietnam War. Considering that Baranik was a major proponent of such opposition and that Homage to Munch III was created during this period of activism, this reference to The Scream amplifies his anti-war message. This project focuses on how art can be understood as “political,” the impact of World War II on Baranik personally and artistically, and how he can be seen as an exemplar of an entire generation of artists shaped by war, who changed the landscape of art.
-
Writing as a "Worthless Pursuit": An Interrogation of Writing under Capitalism
Kathryn Lee
Writing is often branded as a “worthless pursuit” because of its supposed lack of social impact and profitability. Throughout the writing process, including the stages of idea conception, construction, and sale, writers must contend with economic considerations that not only reinforce the capitalist evaluation of writing as a futile activity whose success is contingent upon being able to recoup “lost time” but also erode the writer’s self-agency in dictating their ideas. Capitalist publishing forces, including the corporations involved in traditional print forms of publishing as well as pioneers of digital self-publishing such as Amazon, intentionally set conditions for publication that prevent writers from earning a living compensation. A lack of funding for libraries and for writing grants further contributes to a wider issue of cultural degeneracy and monolithic cultural consumption. I seek to prove that conditions set by publishing entities as well as the various capitalist considerations under which an author works constitute a lack of self-determination and an eventual subsumption of writing products into a wider profit-oriented system. I evaluate the efficacy of certain solutions, including a universal basic income (UBI) and an increase in patronage of independent non-profit presses. Greater awareness of the exploitative methods used by the publishing industry as well as a greater appreciation for the cultural impact of writing is critical to support present and future writers.
-
Lost in Translation: How Mistranslations Can Become Disinformation
Noah Lee
This project explores the relationship between mistranslations and information disorder, focusing on how disregarding nuances in language can produce starkly different narratives and lead to serious consequences. Different languages have different grammatical structures and a word in one language can have several meanings in another language, depending on context, such that translations of important messages demand thorough understanding of discrepancy between languages. This project focuses on several cases of inaccurate translations that benefit the parties of the translators, bringing about consequences that range from problematic to damning. On one end of the spectrum, Chinese social media circulated a mistranslation and misappropriation of Western media, giving a false sense of legitimacy to Chinese conspiracy theories that say that COVID-19 originated in the United States. On the other end of the spectrum, a mistranslation between Japanese Premier Kantaro Suzuki and allied leaders in 1945 resulted in a misunderstanding of the Premier’s sentiments, which led to the dropping of a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. Many cases of mistranslation with damaging consequences produce a benefit to related parties, which could explain a potentially intentional mistranslation in order to produce a specific outcome. This project argues that stopping subjective translations requires understanding not only direct translations, but also understanding the small nuances and multiple meanings of words between different languages in order to more accurately capture the meaning of a statement in one language translated into another language. Thorough understanding of other languages also requires cross-cultural sensitivity and cultural context that affects viewpoints of the original message. Culture and language scholars could be instrumental in ensuring that important messages are not lost in translation.
-
Abstract Politics
Kathy Liu
Louis Ribak and his wife moved from New York City to Taos, New Mexico, in 1944 to escape the political pressure he and other artists found themselves subject to due to an era of intense surveillance by the U.S. government of artists deemed a socialist threat. Upon his move to Taos, he was inspired by its landscape, people, and culture. He was not the first artist to be influenced by this environment; Taos had a huge impact on the art of visiting artists, like Georgia O'Keeffe, and those who took up residence there, coming to form what came to be referred to as the "Taos art colony." The first generation of Taos artists in the early 1920s painted the local landscapes and its Native American peoples. The second generation of Taos artists that moved there in the 1940s and 1950s, including Louis Ribak, painted the same subjects but used abstraction and distinguished themselves from the realists of the first generation of artists and are now collectively referred to as the Taos Moderns. Although both generations of artists felt drawn to the landscape and culture, the change from Taos realism to abstraction is due to the experiences the Modernists acquired before moving to the art colony. By looking through the political and social context surrounding Ribak's move to Taos, my examination of his painting explores the way that his shift towards abstraction was the result of his desire to stay under the radar while being watched by the government.
-
Exercise and Diet Patterns as Factors in Forearm Trabecular and Cortical Bone Development in Pubertal Girls
Kailee Loiodice, Ye Lin, and Alexander Ruhren
PURPOSE: As peak bone mineral accrual velocity occurs at menarche, optimization of circum-menarcheal exercise and diet may reduce future fracture risk. We evaluated a 3-year non-dominant upper extremity bone loading index, and key nutrients, as circum-menarcheal factors in development of post-menarcheal bone properties at the distal radius – a common fragility fracture site. METHODS: A previously published circum-menarcheal bone loading index was evaluated as a predictor of indices of theoretical bone compressive and torsional strength for 48 original BLI study participants with post-menarcheal radius peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) scans. Mean intakes of lactose, zinc, total fat, magnesium, protein, calcium and potassium were tested as predictors of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry bone mineral content at comparable sites. SPSS v27 generated descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression models, with gynecological age, height and whole-body non-bone lean mass as covariates; backward stepwise regressions initially entered all predictors, plus diet factors. RESULTS: Gynecological age, height, lean mass and 3yrBLI all provided significant explanatory value in the 4% IBS model, but only lean mass and 3yrBLI were significant factors in the 33% SSI model; 3yrBLI explained substantial variance in both models (p<0.002). For DXA models, total fat, lean mass and 3yrBLI were positive factors, whereas protein and calcium intakes were negative factors (p<0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Over 3 circum-menarcheal years, greater forearm bone loading exercise was associated with higher post-menarcheal bone mass and strength indices. Future studies should evaluate interactions among fat, protein and calcium intakes in exercise studies of tissue-specific bone growth.
-
Bedside Manner Techniques During The Black Death and the COVID-19 Pandemic
Briana Lopez-Patino
From 1346 to 1353, a bacteria now known as yersinia pestis caused millions of deaths all over the world, resulting in the time period to often be referred to as “The Black Death.” The Black Death called for the development of medical techniques and patient care, such as bedside manner. With the escalating death tolls and no known cause, medical professionals were left confused and in disarray as to what the best course of treatment was and how to protect themselves from illness. One might be under the impression that bedside manner techniques used today have no relation to the techniques used during pre-modern times. However, with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, one can see that these techniques have served as the foundation for modern medical treatment and patient care. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that bedside manner techniques have developed from pre-modern times and have supported patients who have become ill due to coronavirus. In an analysis of the techniques used during the Black Death and the COVID-19 pandemic, this study will identify parallels in the methods of communication with patients, courses of treatment, and methods of protection from disease.
-
Sociocultural Impact of AIDS Understanding on Prevention Education and Treatment Accessibility
Eden Lowinger and Briana Lopez-Patino
The first fifteen years of the AIDS Crisis (1981-1996) were characterized by an immense need by those impacted both for legitimization of diagnoses and access to treatments which targeted both the HIV virus itself and resulting opportunistic infections (OIs). However, early epidemiological trends and the social perception that AIDS was a disease of white gay men resulted in much of the initial focus to center this population and their experience of the disease. This contributed to an incomplete understanding of the natural history of the virus, a failure to identify OIs more common in women and IV drug users (IVDUs), and barriers to vital services. In addition, most clinical trials, which were the only legal avenue to experimental treatments before 1989, excluded or limited the participation of diverse populations. Among those who did have access to clinical trials, as well as many others whose lives were directly affected by the epidemic, the cycles of hope (as treatments emerged) and despair (as their ineffectiveness and toxicities were revealed) was mentally and physically taxing, and in many cases fatal due to the limits of the therapy. The current investigation involves archival materials related to Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) available in the NYPL Special Collections and other historical archives. In addition, oral history interviews with GMHC staff and volunteers were analyzed from the archives or conducted as part of this project. Together these materials help shed light on the difficulties surrounding education, diagnosis and treatment access by differing demographics of people with AIDS (PWAs).
-
Deer Population Management
John Mattfeld
The high density of deep population on campus at Binghamton University and in its surrounding neighborhoods is causing problems for ecosystem health, driver safety, and insurers, among others. The lack of deer management is an example of the political process exacerbating an environmental problem. There are management strategies that are proven to be effective measures that those in authority could be applying to the problem. The problem is not that science has not figured out how to properly manage the deer population; the problem is that politics has not figured out how to apply the science. Through interviews with actors involved in both the science of and politics of ecosystem management, this research highlights the gap between science and politics, and hopes to gain external validity by examining potential solutions that both sides may support. With better policy directed toward a more scientific approach to deer population management, the population would decrease to the levels necessary for healthier forests, less deer vehicle collisions, and less claims for insurance companies.
-
Developing Middle School Students’ Identities as a STEM Person through an Archaeology Afterschool Program
Jada McCann
Identity, or “an individual’s sense of self," is defined “a set of physical, psychological, and interpersonal characteristics” that are unique to each individual (APA Dictionary of Psychology). Defining one's identity takes place “within and is influenced by multiple timescales” (Carlone, 2012), such as a period of years, months, or even weeks. The purpose of this study was to examine the possible ways in which middle school participation in an archaeological STEM afterschool program might shape and shift their identity as a STEM person. Data was collected from twenty-four students in grades sixth through eight who attended two rural middle schools located in different towns in upstate New York. Students were given a booklet where they were asked to identify themselves with one or more identities and write a reflection as to why they chose the identity(ies) based on their experiences with the activities that day. While most students identified themselves as “investigators” and “observers”, quotes from their student booklets also indicated their individual sense of “bravery” and “logitian.” These identities were most often documented in “high” STEM activities, such as the study of animal remains (scientific observation), mystery boxes (hypothesis testing), and excavation sites (pythagorean theorem). Together, these three (or four) aforementioned “identities”, along with the activities in which they were most prevalent, highlight possible instances in which a student’s participation in an archaeological STEM afterschool program shaped their developing identity as a STEM person.
-
The New Homophobia: Quality of LGBTQ Representation in Streaming TV
Sarah Morea
As the presence of openly LGBTQ characters in TV shows becomes increasingly commonplace, researchers have endeavored to understand what effect this may have on queer communities. Prior interview and social media discourse studies suggest that the negative representation of LGBTQ characters, through the use of queerbaiting and stereotypic portrayals, decreases queer individuals’ ability to cope with discrimination and stigma, as well as increases their sense of hopelessness at the possibility of future happiness. To understand the prevalence of this issue, the current content analysis aims to analyze the quality of LGBTQ representation in a sample (n = 8) of TV shows under the LGBTQ category on Netflix. Using a modified version of the Vito-Russo Test as a measure, the narratives and treatment of 36 openly queer characters were examined for identifiability, stereotypic portrayal, and significance to the plot. Results support the hypothesis that the majority of LGBTQ shows in the sample did not pass the proposed standard of quality representation. The implication that this may constitute a new form of homophobia are discussed.
-
Vaccine Hesitancy: Causation and Impact
Elizabeth Mykytenko
This systematic literature review explores vaccine hesitancy: people’s delay or refusal to get vaccinated although vaccination is available. Vaccine hesitancy is a topic which has been gaining attention in the past few years as more people are choosing to not be vaccinated or get their children vaccinated. By refusing vaccination, not only are they at risk, but it becomes a matter of public health risk. Along with this, it has become a more prevalent problem with regards to the COVID pandemic and vaccine. I will be analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data surrounding various diseases over time, to aim to find the underlying reasons for vaccine hesitancy, establish whether there is an ultimate cause, and propose methods which can be used to combat fear or distrust in vaccinations.
-
Effects of Mediterranean and Western Dietary Patterns on Mental Distress and Perceived Stress
Katerina Nagorny, Ushima Chowdhury, Lexis Rosenberg, Megan Welch, Gerard Dempsey, and Michael Colabelli
Compared to the Western diet, the Mediterranean diet has many known health benefits. To assess how the dietary components of each diet affect mental wellbeing, an anonymous online survey targeting those 18 and older was distributed via social media and email. This survey included demographic questions and the validated Food-Mood Questionnaire, which asked participants to rate how often they consumed various foods that constitute both diets, such as whole grains, fish, fast food, and meat. It also included questions that evaluated their perceived stress and mental distress through the Perceived Stress and the Kessler-6 scales. A total of 1591 participants completed the survey. The data was analyzed using Spearman’s Rho correlation and Principal Component Analysis in SPSS version 25.0. The results showed significant negative correlations between mental distress and perceived stress with several components of the Mediterranean diet, such as whole grains, seafood, and beans. Meat was also found to be negatively correlated with mental distress and perceived stress. However, significant positive correlations between mental distress, perceived stress and the Western diet such as fast food and high glycemic index food were found. This suggests that incorporating components of the Mediterranean diet is beneficial for mental wellbeing.
-
Narration Through the Lens of Disinformation: The Impact of Unreliable Narrators
Riya Nobi
Disinformation, over the course of recent years, has become a point of focus in social and political research spheres to discuss how information can be weaponized against governments and populations alike. In conjunction with the current literature disinformation studies (i.e news, media), literary works (i.e short stories, novels) can contribute to the wider understanding of the relatively new field. The bridge between the two disciplines exists within a subsection of literary theories regarding narration. The study of unreliable narration in prose fiction provides a set of interdisciplinary theories that can explain disinformation, or intentionally false and misleading narratives, in twenty-first century media. This paper analyzes the unreliable narration in Alexander Pushkin's short story, "Queen of Spades" (1834), to test the hypothesis that unreliable narration operates in ways that can predict some of the patterns of disinformation in the twenty-first century media. Through an analysis of the in-text behavior of characters as they are affected by narration, a theoretical framework that links these characters to real-life readers can be established. As a result of this analysis, I articulate some of the potential theoretical insights that literary theories of unreliable narration can bring to the emerging field of Disinformation Studies.
-
The Human Problem: How Anthropogenic Climate Change is Leading to Malnutrition and Famine in Madagascar
Angelina Orduña
A wide range of anthropogenic effects to the environment including the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and harmful agricultural activities have contributed to the rapid increase in climate change globally, with particularly devastating effects in Madagascar. These changes have added to the accelerating levels of malnutrition and famine amongst the Malagasy people. The implications of famine and malnutrition are extensive, resulting in starvation, stunting of growth in children, and a lack of adequate resources to support the population. Altogether, these threats have resulted in one of the most dangerous humanitarian crises in our modern world. This research aims to identify the main pathways by which climate change affects food availability in Madagascar resulting in famine and malnutrition. Using data sets that document global CO2 emissions, I assess which countries have the largest carbon emission and how they contribute to global climate change. There is an urgent need to hold countries with a large carbon footprint accountable for the harm they are doing to countries such as Madagascar. It is crucial to understand why Madagascar is at a greater risk of experiencing the effects of climate change and to develop methods in which aid can be brought to them.
-
Voter Registration, Turnout, and Participation Among Movers and Transients
Logan Osborne
How does voter registration affect the participation and turnout of movers and transient populations? The transient population can be defined as groups of people living in a geographic place that tend to only live there for a short time. These people are also called movers. To explore this question, I look at the data from the U.S. Census for transient communities such as the City of Binghamton, New York. I also have looked at the percentage of individuals who have moved homes and who are not registered to vote. I look at the history of voter registration policies and different methods of registration systems. These include the solutions to voter registration issues such as automatic, portable, and same-day voter registration, which are proven methods of helping to increase voter turnout and registration rates amongst movers and transients. I also will look at the breakdown of polling places in relation to the community, look at parking accessibility, and anticipate the ease of voting and its effects on voter turnout. I expect to continue to find evidence that supports how transients and movers are less likely to be registered to vote at the address where they currently reside; and are therefore more likely to not be able to vote in elections due to registration deadlines. This study emphasizes the need for a national voter registration plan that includes automatic, portable, and same-day registration.
-
The Implications of Adderall on College Students
Hailey Parnes, Jasmine Simpson, Gabriella DelPozzo, Kyra Schaffer, and Alexa Rabinovich
The abuse of adderall among college students is a prevalent issue in today’s society due to the stress they face with deadlines, assignments, and external pressure. Adderall is a stimulant that changes brain chemistry and reduces appetite. A study was conducted to examine the extent to which adderall has an effect on student’s nutrition and mood. An anonymous online survey was administered through GroupMe, text, email, and word of mouth. The survey included basic demographic questions and questions on mental health, diet, and the illicit use of stimulant drugs such as Adderall. For analysis, demographics from the survey were compiled together and coded using Google Sheets. Implications of Adderall abuse on mental health and nutrition in college students compared to non-users were then compared. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Based on the 157 responses received from the survey, there is a positive correlation between Adderall intake and malnutrition (poor quality food choices) including high stress level, mental health issues (e.g. sleep difficulty, anxiety, weight loss, and depression), and caffeine intake. Those who abuse Adderall are more likely to follow a Western dietary pattern. These results suggest that the illicit use of Adderall not only impacts mood but quality of food consumed.
-
Eugenics Impact on Society
Angela Phuong
The ideas of eugenics infiltrated significant sectors of public activities like state fairs and sports culture by promoting the idea of a better society created by “eliminating” bad genes from the gene pool. Significantly, it also entered the legal code, most notably in the Buck v. Bell court case in 1927, which decided that it was fine to forcibly sterilize any “feeble-minded” women in order to prevent them from spreading their bad genes onto the next generation. Disinformation is an intentional act of spreading false information with the intent of causing harm. In the field of disinformation studies, scholars research how disinformation is used in our daily lives and how it affects everyone. This project will focus on how disinformation is spread within scientific communities. It will also examine the psychological factors that lead to disinformation spreading. The question now is how bad science infiltrated into society and how bad information harms people. Since the bad information came from the place (scientific community) that we expected good/reliable information from, what is the psychological impact on the public and how did they deal with it? In this paper, I argue that the psychological processes of "seizing" and "freezing" disinformation created by eugenics pseudo-scientists led to long-term societal harm.
-
Hadestown: Performative Social Critique
Jared Pisetzner
Hadestown is a Broadway musical that adapts the classic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Through its adaptation, the writer, Anais Mitchell, adds a plot that reframes the story as a critique of capitalism. Through its depiction of the underworld as a landscape filled with the working class who slave away doing a menial task that will never be completed, and the depiction of a failed revolution, Mitchell is telling a story about a radical revolution coming from the working class to overthrow the ruling class. On the merit of its critique, while I interpret the message as being explicitly anti-capitalist, it ultimately fails in its critique as it can comfortably criticize capitalism while benefiting and profiting from the system. The text itself calls for a world that’s better than the one we live in, but this theme isn’t reflected in any real way in the real world. The actors and writers and directors tell a beautiful story about love and revolution, and yet, the musical Hadestown contradicts these ideas by perpetuating the system in the same way all Broadway musicals do.
-
Not a One Night Review: How Sexual Hookups Have Changed Over the Past 10 Years: A Review
Emily Presutti, Juan Riestra, Coral Nizen-Jacobellis, Ilana Plotkin, and Danielle Kinches
In 2012 Garcia et al. reviewed the existing hookup literature and concluded that hookups were an engrained behavior driven by both biological factors as well as ever-changing social scripts (Garcia et al 2012). Ten years have passed by and there have been substantial cultural changes, there have been shifts in attitudes about sexual orientation to gender roles. This current work is focused on a 10-year follow-up on how hookup research has changed. The term “hooking up” refers to uncommitted sexual encounters, which can include a range of sexual activities such as kissing, oral sex, and penetrative intercourse. The previous review suggested that hookup encounters were increasing among adolescents and young adults in North America, representing a shift in acceptance of uncommitted sex. This review will evaluate the literature across the past 10 years and determine what has changed in hookup culture. This literature will investigate the effects of social media, alcohol/ pregame culture, and dating apps on hookup culture. In addition, broader influences such as COVID-19, the #MeToo movement, and the legalization of gay marriage will also be taken into consideration. The review will also investigate whether sexual minorities have been included in the literature since the last review, as well as whether heteronormative scripts have shifted. We argue that, while things still appear somewhat negative in the hookup literature, positive research on sexual expression and hooking up has begun to appear. There is still a long way to go within the research of sexual hookup culture, but the presence of new, more positive research may be a step in the right direction to a more accepting and sex-positive culture.
Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.