DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

Empirical Projects

Bell, Bret Miller, Nathan. EFFECT OF VARYING CONCENTRATIONS OF BERENIL ON RESTRICTION ENZYME TSP509I ACTIVITY..

Berenil is drug that binds well to the minor groove of DNA. Furthermore the site of Berenil binding have been studied and several patterns have been found. Berenil binds AT rich sequences that are five base pairs in length. The questions was asked whether Berenil could prevent DNA cleavage. To test this the restriction enzyme TSP509I was chosen. TSP509I cuts the DNA at AATT. Preliminary results show that Berenil binding does prevent TSP509I from cleaving the DNA at known Berenil binding sites.
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Elder, Darcie and Wright, Deborah. MEASUREMENT OF ANTI-TUMOR DRUG BINDING TO DNA.

The binding of Hoechst 33258, a minor groove binding drug, to two types of DNA was measured by fluorescent spectroscopy. Calf Thymus DNA was used as a control. The binding to S. cerevisiae DNA was the reaction of interest. Through additions of increasing concentrations of the Hoechst to each type of DNA it was suggested that there was a slight enhancement of fluorescence.
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Hart, Steven and Butner, Trevor. EFFECT OF BERENIL ON HSP104.

Microarray data on the effects of Berenil on Hsp104 in Yeast (S. cerevisiae) were verified with PCR and gel electrophoresis. Replicate sampling on ten microarray experiments showed Hsp104 turned off by a factor of 1.18. Hsp104 was PCR amplified from Berenil treated and untreated cDNA. Aliquots were taken during interval cycles during the PCR reaction. PCR product was separated with gel electrophoresis and quantified. The gel-based method showed Hsp104 turned off by a factor of 2.12. The gel-based method did not vary significantly from the microarray data, and offers a inexpensive alternative to real-time PCR.
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Malloy,Kelly Hughes,Greg. THE EFFECTS OF BERENIL ON DNA CURVATURE.

Minor Groove binding drugs (MGBDs) are anti-tumor drugs which bind the minor groove of DNA. MGBDs preferentially bind to the A-T rich regions of the DNA sequence. A-T rich regions are also known to cause DNA bending. Berenil is one such MGBD that binds A-T regions, potentially alters the expression of a gene, and neutralizes the degree of A-T induced curvature. Through PCR amplification of the 456 base pair promoter region of the gene ALD4, a gene whose expression pattern was shown to be negatively affected by Berenil via microarray analysis, the ability of Berenil to reduce DNA curvature was measured through electrophilic mobility shift.
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Ostendorf Chris, Onkoba Victor. UPTAKE OF FLUORESCENT HOECHST BY YEAST CELLS AND FLUORESCENCE ENHANCEMENT OF YEAST WITH HOECHST.

Studies on DNA minor groove binding drugs (MGBDs) have indicated possible anti-tumor properties. The experiment to be performed will measure the uptake (by yeast cells) of the drug Hoechst 33258. Also to be determined will be the dependence of fluorescence (emission) on yeast concentration, which will be fitted to a curve. It is hypothesized that upon crossing the nucleus membrane, the Hoechst will bind to DNA, resulting in increase of cellular fluorescence. The trend of the curve will be logistic. Results of the fluorescence experiment did not show/support the hypothesis. No distinct increase of fluorescence was noted. Future research should take into consideration various control factors such as media, [drug] and time-dependence. \r\n\r\n
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Purdy, Nicholas and Jackson, Amanda. EFFECTS OF MINOR GROOVE BINDING DRUG ON YEAST GROWTH.

This study focus on the effect of minor groove binding drugs such as, Berenil on the ability of yeast colony growth. Relatively little is understood about the interaction of minor grove binding drugs on a molecular level however, the common assumption is that such binding prevents cell proliferation. This experiment utilized various concentrations of Berenil which included 0, 5, 10, 25, and 50uM. A significant difference in colony size was noticeable at 24 hours incubation and was only exaggerated at 48 hours incubation. The colonies on plates which contained no Berenil were more than twice as large as the colonies on plates containing Berenil, suggesting that minor groove binding drugs such as Berenil have significant effects on the growth of the yeast colonies.
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Thomsen, Kristen, and Brown, Adam. ABILITY OF MGBD BERENIL TO PREVENT NUCLEOSOME BINDING IN THE ALD4 PROMOTER REGION.

Berenil binds selectively to the narrow minor-groove of AT rich regions in the DNA. Binding is mediated through hydrogen bonding via the bis-amidinium groups at each end of the molecule and through van der Waals interactions within the minor groove. In this study, we examined the effect of the DNA minor groove binding drug Berenil on nucleosome binding in the yeast ALD4 promoter region. Previous studies amplified the promoter region of ALD4, which was used in this study. We suspect that the addition of Berenil prevents the nucleosomes from binding the DNA. The results support our understanding of nucleososome binding, however further studies need to be conducted to conclude any definite findings.
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Woyski, Dustin Zoubek, Joseph. EFFECTS OF HOECHST ON DNA CURVATURE.

This experiment tested the effects of Hoechst on DNA curvature. The curved segment of DNA was amplified and then treated with increasing concentrations of the drug. The treated DNA was then ran on a Polyacrylamide Gel along with a sample of untreated DNA for comparison. A low dose (1µM) appeared to reduce the curvature of the DNA as expected, but interestingly after that point increasing concentrations of the drug actually increased DNA curvature
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DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Empirical Projects

Atkins, Corissa. THE MENTALLY ILL AND THE COURTS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

This study was designed to measure the problem and prevalence of mental illness within the courts of the Criminal Justice System, and what response the system has established to address the issue. The study also included evaluation of the Mental Health Court of Jackson County, Missouri, a relatively new approach in treating the mentally ill, as opposed to incarcerating them.
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DuPree, Chantell. THE EFFECTIVNESS OF COMMUNITY/FAITH BASE PROGRAMS.

The effectiveness of community/faith based programs\\r\\n Chantell DuPree\\r\\n Abstract\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\nFaith based organizations are non-profit programs whose purpose is to decrease delinquent acts and increase knowledge. Over the last several years more faith based programs have been established to solve social and economic problems and also to improve society as a whole.\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n
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Dye, Misty. MEASURABLE SUCCESS IN RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS.

This project focuses on Restorative Justice Programs in Buchanan County and how to decipher the successful therein. The research based the success of Restorative Justice Programs on a combonation of factors; the main factor being: The best candidate to participate in these types of programs.
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Sloan ,Carole. SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS: ARE THEY EFFECTIVE IN TODAY\\\'S SCHOOLS?.

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the effectiveness of a School Resource Officer (SRO) Program by examining what a School Resource Officer is and their responsibilities. The study will look at existing data from other originations, statistics, and gathered survey data to determine the perceived effectiveness of the School Resource Officer Program in the Cameron Missouri School District.
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West, Cheena. ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN SMITHVILLE MISSOURI.

The total number of reported traffic accidents for the years 2003, 2004, and 2005 were used to complete a study of the causations for traffic accidents. \\r\\nAlso, the city limits of Smithville was divided into four quadrants to map put each individual accident to determine “problem spots.”\\r\\nThe overall purpose for the study was to determine the causations of the accidents and problem areas for reoccurring accidents, in order to possibly come up with target areas for future methods of prevention enforcement for the Smithville Police Department. \\r\\n
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Literature Reviews

Benash, Shannon. THE RISK OF VICTIMIZATION IN MWSU'S RESIDENCE HALLS.

The purpose of this study is to determine if students who live in MWSU’s residence halls have a higher risk of victimization than comparable institutions’ residence halls in Missouri. To determine this, the researcher will examine the statistics and the safety precautions implemented in certain campus’ residence halls. The goal is to make sure MWSU is taking the proper safety precautions to ensure student safety in the residence halls.
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Flint, Elizabeth. CHILD CUSTODY: MEDIATION VS. LITIGATION.

The increasing number of divorces in the United States has created growing concern in child custody disputes. These circumstances have created overcrowded dockets and unnecessary delays in today adversary system. Studies suggest that child access mediation reduces court dockets and likewise, delays in court processing, ultimately saving administrative and judicial time and expense. Consequently, family mediation has become a viable method of resolving these disputes.This research reports finding from on exploration from eight- five undergraduate students from Missouri Western State University. Participants were volunteers selected from a general Biology and a Mediation class. Outcomes within this survey favor that mediation should be required in all child custody disputes.
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Humprhreys, Rebecca. WHAT FACTORS MAKE A CHILD SUPPORT CASE SUCCESSFUL.

The purpose of this study was to determine the various factors that make a child support case successful in Missouri. The goal of this research proposal was to find out the ratio of successful cases and percentage of caseloads in Northern Missouri.
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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND JOURNALISM

Empirical Projects

Hawkins, Amber. THE PRINTED PAGE VERSUS THE TANGLED WEB: PRINT V ONLINE.

It may seem that making a print document available for the web is as easy as converting it to HTML. The purpose of both print and web documents has been research, entertainment, leisure, and more. With the invention of the web, many items only found in print can now be found on the web. However, in the almost three decades that the Web has been around, researchers have suggested important differences in the two. The web is not always able to reproduce the look of the printed page. This project examines on three elements of web and print design: color, layout, and font, in a dialogue of the strengths and weaknesses of each. It also applies the use of these elements to assess the print and web editions of Wired Magazine. The evaluation of these criteria, suggests that the print edition of Wired uses the capabilities of its format better than the web edition does.
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DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIOLOGY

Empirical Projects

Crossland, Kara. NURSING'S ROLE IN A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY AND THE QUALITY OF CARE PROVIDED.

The objective of this research was to investigate nursling’s role in a long-term care facility and how it relates to the quality of care provided. In their own words, eight nurses from different levels of nursing were able to express their personal beliefs regarding their role as a nurse within a long-term care facility, as well as their effect on the residents and the quality of care provided. One-on-one interviews were conducted with these eight nurses that are currently employed by the chosen long-term care facility. Key findings include that, for the most part, several of the nurses felt differently about their roles within the facility despite their job title, but the same in regards to the residents and the quality of care provided. The results highlight the importance of quality of care being provided to the residents by the nursing staff.
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Duncan, Ebony. MONEY AND POWER.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived family income and school bullying. A survey design was used through a questionaire technique of a sample size of 36. The key findings showed that there was no direct relationship, but because the sample size was so small it cannot be used for generalized purposes. There were some interesting findings during this study that was not directly related to the topic at hand. I have no recommendations for this future, I beleive the fashion of the study was appropriate for an academic setting.
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Edwards, Patricia. OBSTACLES FACED BY HOMELESS SHLELTER RESIDENTS.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the obstacles that homeless shelter residents face. The researcher conducted an in-depth case study on residents who fit the criteria of either overstaying the allotted amount of time (120 days) or who have had more than one return to the shelter. Information was obtained through individual interviews as well as having access to the clients case files. The key findings from this study include: The majority of those that fit the criteria were male veterans of war. The researcher recommends that in the future the study be replicated to include a larger sample of clients who fit the criteria. For social workers, it is recommended that there be more interaction between social service agencies to better link and coordinate services for clients who at risk for falling between the cracks.
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Forbes, Brandy. ANALYSIS OF COEXISTING MENTAL ILLNESS WITH PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS IN A MIDWESTERN MENTAL HEALTH CENTER.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the coexistence of mental illness with physical symptoms. The researcher used an analysis of available data and a random systematic sampling data collection technique to collect data from a sample of 900 charts. The key findings of this research and recommendations will be available at the MRD Day on May 1, 2006.
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Gatrost, Laurell. HOW WOMEN LIVING IN SHELTER FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PERCEIVE THE COURT SYSTEM.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of women living in shelter for domestic violence have had with the court system. This study is interested in finding out why they use the court system and how they perceive and understand the system and process. The researcher used a case study design and convenience and opportunistic sampling to collect data from a sample of 6 women currently residing at the YWCA in St. Joseph, MO.The key findings for this study include: Women living in shelter for domestic violence use the court more often for other things such as housing, drugs, and divorce than for actual domestic violence incidents. The researcher recommends that in the future a larger sample be used and participants are picked from various shelters. Future questions should be more detailed about the specifics of domestic violence and its relation to the court system.
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HECKMAN, EMILY. CHILD ABUSE AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY: RELATED?.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine juvenile cases in which a child had a substantiated case of child abuse and/or neglect \\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\nand then had a delinquency case as well. The researcher used a case study design. Data was collected through examination of the child \\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\nabuse and neglect case files in addition to the delinquent file. The four major themes were: there is a relationship between the length of time the child abuse and neglect case was open and the age of the child; probability of sibling abuse being reported is higher if one child already has an open case; many times mothers and their boyfriends were perpetrators; mothers reported their child\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s delinquency acts. The authors recommend that secondary data analysis should be triangulated with interview data (caseworkers) and that case files should contain more details than are currently recorded.
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Helin, Erika. AT-RISK YOUTHS AND EDUCATIONAL DECISIONS.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine how effective school social workers were in aiding high school students in alternative school placements with their educational decisions. The researcher used the case study method and conducted in-depth interviews to collect the data; with a sample size of seven students, representing grades 10-12, from the alternative high school in St. Joseph. The key findings from this study include that the social worker was effective in aiding students with their educational decisions. The social worker was able to aid students with their decisions for current and future education. The researcher recommends that in the future, the social worker continues to aid students with furthering and enhancing their education.
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Margaret Howards, Kristina Neth, Dr. Monica Nandan. PROGRAM EVALUATION OF PUBLIC ACHIEVEMENT AT ST. PATRICK AND NEELY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the effectiveness of the Public Achievement program. The research used a qualitative case study method to collect data using a questionnaire design. Data was collected from a sample thirty-seven Public Achievement participants at two local elementary schools. Key findings of this study found that most students were satisfied or very satisfied with their PA experience which correlated with the students overall satisfaction with their Public Achievement team and project and how satisfied the students were with their coaches. The researchers recommend that in the future researchers chose to do the evaluation of the program at the end of the school year rather than at semester. It is also recommended that researchers perform a pilot study prior to data collection in order to anticipate and avoid problems.\r\n\r\n
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Huff, Heather. THE BENEFITS OF KINSHIP PLACEMENTS VERSE FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS FOR CHILDREN.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore perceptions and experiences of case managers, in the Child Welfare system, as they place children in traditional verse Kinship foster care placements. The researcher used the case study design as well as face-to-face interviews with 8 case managers. Using the information gathered for the methodology to understand case manager’s rationale for placing children in the two different types of foster care settings.The keys findings show that almost half of the case managers are considered “on the fence” when it comes to the rationale to put a child in traditional foster care verse kinship foster care. The researcher recommends that in the future it would be helpful to interview both the case manager’s as well as the children who are influenced the most by the child welfare system. Gaining the knowledge from both of these systems will help to educate future readers on this issue.\r\n
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Magee, Betty. HOSPICE BEREAVEMENT SERVICES - FAMILY SATISFACTION.

PURPOSE: This quantitative study was to examine the quality of hospice bereavement services at a hospice located in Northwest Missouri. METHOD: This researcher used available data received from the hospice bereavement program. Participants (n=60), were mailed surveys and a cover letter. This statistical data consisted of a self-administered questionnaire of twelve questions. There was a 35% (n=21) return of the questionnaires. FINDINGS: This study conducted for the bereavement services in area hospice for the year 2005 found that 90% of respondents felt the counselor helped them understand grief and feelings of death. RECOMMENDATIONS: Reconstruction of the questionnaire would be necessary for future studies.
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Mattis, Brittany. SATISFACTION OF FOSTER PARENTS.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the satisfaction of foster parents with case workers. I used a mailed questionnaire for this study, and collected data from all the foster parents that worked with Catholic Charities of St. Joseph and Kansas City. The key findings from this study will be presented the day of presentation. I recommend in the future to give a full year to complete a research project so things are not so rushed.
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Norman-Bloss, Tara. SEX OFFENDERS PERCEPTIONS OF THEMSELVES IN THE COMMUNITY.

The purpose of this study is to examine how sex offenders perceive themselves in the community before and after being convicted of sexual crimes. Current literature of most sex offender research reveals research in this area is primarily conducted in prison settings. This study will focus on 17 individuals currently participating in a community based sex offender treatment program. Community based sex offender treatment programs provide sex offenders with supportive programs to help them understand and manage their socially deviant behaviors. The study utilized quantitative survey design to collect data from the participants from the sexual offender groups and a nonscheduled standardized questionnaire was administered to 17 out of 24 group members. The results of the study found that over 70% of participants felt that the community viewed them more negatively after they had been convicted and 52% felt that being convicted had ruined their life. \\r\\n\\r\\n
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Rohr, Dana. THE PERCEPTION OF THE INFORMAL AND FORMAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS AVAILABLE TO PREGNANT TEENAGERS.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the availability of informal and formal support systems for pregnant high school teenagers. The researcher used single subject design and face to face interviews for the data collection technique to collect data from a sample of five pregnant high school teenagers. The key findings from this study include: mothers support (financially and emotionally) for the pregnant teen, use of community resources, wide range of friends and family to express feelings with, and the plans for college in the future. The researcher recommends that in the future more studies be conducted to examine the teenage father\\\'s role, involvement, and responsibility in teenage pregnancy.
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Ruark, Jessica. GOODWILL AND HELPING HAND....DO YOU KNOW?.

Jessica Ruark\r\nResearch Abstract\r\nSpring 2006\r\n\r\nThe purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the awareness of the awareness of the St. Joseph community of the Goodwill Store and the Helping Hand of Goodwill Industries. \r\n\r\nThe researcher used a survey design and telephone data collection technique to collect data from a sample of 9 people from each of the 6 zip codes in St. Joseph.\r\n\r\nThe key findings from this study include: 94% had heard of the Goodwill Store, 87% knew the Goodwill Store takes donations, 63% had donated to the Goodwill Store, 7% knew what the Goodwill Store does with it’s profits, and 27% had heard of the Helping Hand of Goodwill Industries.\r\n\r\nThe researcher recommends that in the future data be collected at all hours of the day to eliminate age discrepancies.\r\n
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Terry, Diana. SATISFACTION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH THE FAMILIES PERSPECTIVE FOR THE ELDERLY.

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of family member/ friends/ guardians regarding the satisfaction of services received by the patients at a behavioral health unit. Using a survey design of 16 questions 2 open-ended questions,14 closed ended questions. This survey was given over the telephone to one family member/friend/guardian; out of over 220 attempts 120 people were contacted of those 101 responded to the questionnaire. The findings will be submitted on May 1, 2006.
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Wiedmer, Missy. RESIDENT SATISFACTION AT LIVING COMMUNITY OF ST. JOSEPH.

Nursing homes have encountered many obstacles in maintaining good reputations. Absence of a strong status can translate to poor image, low wages for workers, and families unable to make decisions whereto place a sick family member. Based on a descriptive study of residents within a nursing home this paper outlines the positive benefits a good nursing home can provide.
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williams, ashley. EFFECTIVENESS OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT PROGRAMS.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the effectiveness of drug and alcohol treatment that people on probation are required to attend. The researcher used a case study design and used interviewing as the data collection technique. The key findings from the study were that the treatment helped the probationers because they were able to talk to other people that had the same problems, find out different solutions and learn that they were not alone. However, everyone in treatment relapsed at least once while attending treatment. The researcher recommends that in the future research could be done by following several people to treatment for an extended amount of time to study the participant's changes and how the treatment effects them throughout the treatment process.
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DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

Empirical Projects

Bell, Stephanie. DIFFUSION OF RESPONSIBILITY: ARE SEXES MORE LIKELY TO HELP THE SAME SEX OR THE OPPOSITE SEX?.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the sex of a person and helping behaviors. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups, half with a male confederate present and half with a female confederate present. The participants were asked to read a short story. Approximately seventeen minutes into the study the confederate would stand up, announce he/she had to leave, then trip and drop a large stack of books and papers. My hypothesis is that more participants will help a female confederate more than a male confederate. The results will be presents at the Multidisciplinary Research Day on May 1, 2006.
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Colvin, Sonya. DOES NOISE SENSITIVITY AFFECT A READER'S CONCENTRATION?.

This study examines if there is a relationship between noise sensitivity and if either a continuous and/or irregular intermittent time pattern of noise affects a person's concentration while reading. Approximately 30-40 students were randomly assigned into the three noise level conditions: no noise, continuous noise, and irregular intermittent noise. In each condition, participants were asked to read a short story, take a quiz, and fill out questionnaires on noise sensitivity, and how difficult it was to concentrate while reading. My hypothesis is that participants who are sensitive to noise will report greater difficulty with concentration during the irregular intermittent noise condition as compared to the continuous noise condition. Results will be presented at the Multidisciplinary Research Day, May 2006.
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Cox II, Douglas. FIGHTING NATURE: MANKIND’S STRUGGLE TO LEAVE THE NATURAL WORLD.

The purpose of the study is to determine if images affect a person’s mood. A survey was administered to 110 individuals, 39.1% men, 60% women, and .9% who did not indicate gender, targeting responses on images and mood. The survey measured mood responses to two styles of images. One-way ANOVA was calculated on the subjects’ surveys scores. The expected results will be that an image of a natural environment will create a relaxed state of mood and images of man-made structures will cause a more negative mood. If hypothesis is supported then these results will support the idea that mental disorders arise from humans being detached from the natural environment.
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Criss, Brandy R.. GENDER DIFFERENCES IN MULTITASKING.

This study looked for gender differences in multitasking. The participants were a random sample of students from Missouri Western State University. The participants were given an assignment of performing specified multiple tasks simultaneously. The participants were then asked to fill out a brief survey that included questions about how they felt in regards to the study and other questions to control for confounding variables. The results will be presented at the Multidisciplinary Research Day on May 1, 2006.
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Howard, Angela. TASTE THE LABLE: HOW DO FOOD LABELING & MARKETING EFFECT TATSTE PERCEPTIONS.

The effects of marketing and labeling on taste perceptions is an issue most consumers tend to question. Researchers have investigated this dilemma through terms of brand preference that is broke down into three categories of brand recognition, loyalty, and image. The effects of attractiveness or “cues” on labeling are also examined and how attractiveness or “cues” are linked to persuading consumers to refer their product. These two studies were used to support my hypothesis that: Students are more likely to have favorable taste perceptions while viewing national brand food labels then those viewing generic food labels. The results of this study will be presented at the Biannual Multidisciplinary Research Poster Presentation at Missouri Western University, Saint Joseph, Missouri.
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McPhail, Jamie V. & Rose, Padyn D.. GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE APPRECIATION OF DARK AND LIGHT HUMOR.

Eighty male and female participants rated cartoons with Dark and Light Content with respect to whether they thought the cartoons were Funny and made them Laugh. The results revealed that the participants rated the Light Humor as funnier than the Dark Humor, females rated the Humor as funnier than did the Males, and that both Males and Females rated the cartoons as Funny but did not necessarily Laugh at them. There was a significant interaction effect between humor and gender, i.e., males did not respond differentially to light and dark humor. The results suggest that there are differences between males and females with respect to appreciation of humor, and variations with respect to what they judge as funny and whether they laugh.
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Norton, LaToria. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR MOOD?.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how color is associated with mood-tones. This study will include approximately 50 college students. The study will examine college students whom are given a happy or sad story to read and after reading the story they have to draw a picture of the story on a light or dark sheet of color paper. I expect to find that student who received the happy story will chose to draw a picture on light color paper and those who get the sad story will chose to draw on the dark color paper. The results will be presented during the poster presentation.
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Sadowski, Marion. MONEY CAN'T BUY YOU HAPPINESS, BUT IT MAY BUY YOU HELP.

There are many studies that concentrate on the bystander effect. The study in which I am currently conducting explores helping behavior between those who appear to be wealthy as oppossed to those who appear not to be wealthy.It is my hypothesis that there will be more helping behavior associated with the character in my story that appears to be wealthy as oppossed the one who does not. The results will be displayed at the Multidisciplinary Research day on May 1,2006 at Missouri Western State University.
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Saleem, Ghazala. LACK OF SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING AS PREDICTOR OF EATING DISORDERS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS.

This study examines whether lack of spiritual well-being predicts the risks of developing eating disorders among college students. This study also looks into what effect, if any, spiritual influences have on body self-esteem. A total of 52 participants drawn from an introductory level psychology class were surveyed one-time. Participants reported the vital statistics pertaining to demographics, completed the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26), and the SCOFF questionnaire. Four body images of men and women were also depicted on the paper, and the participants were asked to choose the ideal and most attractive body image for both men and women. Results will be presented during the poster presentation on Multidisciplinary Research Day.
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Schmidgall, Alicia. EFFECT OF VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES ON AGGRESSION.

My study looked at the effect of violent video games on aggression. The participants, from Dr. Marsh’s General Psychology classes, were randomly assigned to a violent or nonviolent video game group. They filled out a demographic survey and had five minutes to fill out the Pre Word Completion Task. Then participants watched their assigned video clip for 10 minutes. The violent video game group watched Mortal Kombat: Deception for PS2 and the nonviolent video game group watched Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2002 for PS2. Then participants had five minutes to fill out the Post Word Completion Task. They also filled out the Buss-Perry Aggression Scale. The results will be presented at the Multidisciplinary Research Day.
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Waller, John. TYPE D, OPTIMISM, COGNITIVE DYSORGANIZATION, AND ESTEEM.

This study explores the relationship of Type-D (Distressed) personality with optimism, cognitive disorganization, and esteem. Previous studies have indicated Type-D as being at greater risk for an array of physical and psychological problems. Findings of this study indicate statistically significant relationships between Type-D and the three aforementioned personality constructs. Type-D appears to be linked with lower levels of optimism, cognitive disorganization, and esteem. These findings further flesh out the trait package of the Type-D individual.
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