The Honors College

While people with high levels of dispositional gratitude experience more positive memory appraisals and closure, it is not clear whether a person can cultivate grateful affect and experience the same benefit.  The effect of a gratitude manipulation on the amount of positive memories recalled from a person's autobiographical memory, emotional impact ratings of memories, and closure over negative events was examined.  After assessing trait gratitude on Day 1, participants were randomly assigned to 1 to 3 writing conditions (gratitude, personal accomplishments, or neutral).

Many industrial workers and students find it difficult to concentrate and perform well when their natural sleep cycle is disturbed. This study examined how circadian rhythm, exercise habits, and the time of day interact to better understand the relationship these factors have upon concentration. The working hypothesis of this study was that concentration is adversely affected by unhealthy habits or suboptimal schedules. A 2x2 between subjects factorial design examined attention focus at distinct times of day.

Populations of salamanders worldwide are in decline. These declines have been attributed to loss of habitat, pollution, invasive species, climate change and disease. Within species of salamanders, population abundance, body condition, size and age can indicate population viability and health. These data can aid conservation programs aimed at reducing the decline of local salamander populations.

Previous studies have shown that individuals with ADHD experience higher levels of stress than their non-diagnosed counterparts. (Hirvikoski, Lindhol, Nordenstrom, Nordstrom, &Lajic, 2009). It has also been shown that high levels of self-esteem can act as a buffer against stress (Canu & Carlson, 2007). Previous studies have found that social support also has buffering effects on stress (Brissette, Scheire, & Carver, 2002).

Throughout the business world, occupational fraud is a constant concern for organizations. It is a complex crime and is often difficult to fully understand. The fraud diamond was created to determine the underlying motivations and opportunities of fraud. The diamond consists of pressure, perceived opportunity, rationalization, and capability. By studying these components, organizations have a better understanding of fraud and can develop techniques to help prevent, detect, and deter fraud.

This study examines the role of teacher concerns throughout the change process, specifically during the implementation of a new innovation. The study was conducted at an elementary school in the Southeast United States in the process of undergoing institutional change regarding the identification of students with learning disabilities and special education referrals. The Response to Intervention (RTI) model was recently included under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA, 2004) as a preventative model used to identify students with learning disabilities.

As a sophomore in college, I took a course designed to prepare me to become a writing center consultant. The class taught the basics of writing center pedagogy and theory. I began to learn the benefits of having a place where clients could have an open conversation about improving their writing with a consultant who focused on whatever aspect of the writer that was needed.

This study investigates the perceptions held by the millennial generation toward team spectator sports. Furthermore, it seeks to understand fanaticism, or enthusiasm and zeal, and how this phenomenon relates to the perceptions held by college students. A survey instrument consisting of 105 questions was used to gather data. Respondents were given nine attributes on which to rate nine different team spectator sports. They were asked to rate how well each attribute embodied their perception of the specific sport on a 5-point Likert scale. A total of 506 women and 406 men responded.

Fluoride dating has proven to be among the fastest and most affordable methods for relative dating of archaeological human and faunal remains. Fluoride concentration increases in bone samples with burial time, allowing for the determination of the chronology of burial, where higher percentages of fluoride represent older specimens. The percentage of fluoride was chemically determined for fifty-two human bone samples from an archaeological site in McLean County, Kentucky using potentiometry with standard addition.

Best practice in preschool assessment and intervention assumes a multifaceted, ecological approach. In contrast to variables internal to the child, such as temperament and/or intelligence, assessment of the child's environment at home may provide more feasible targets for intervention. The development of social competence is a critical task during early childhood, as children who are socially competent tend to be successful in interpersonal interactions, demonstrate sensitivity and empathy towards peers, engage in complex play, and exhibit the ability to solve social problems.