Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Journal

A documented phenomenon is that people want to quit social media but do not. A leading explanation is that the content shown on social media is addictive. However, I use a survey to show that the content is not the main reason people say they cannot leave social media. Instead, it is losing the ability to communicate through direct messaging.

Despite efforts to promote gender diversity in STEM, math-based STEM majors, such as Engineering, Computer science and Physics, remain male dominated. In this research, the effects of peer interactions are examined within students in math-based STEM majors, since peer relationships significantly impact retention and success in STEM. However, underrepresented groups, such as women in STEM, are particularly susceptible to negative stereotypes about their group, through the induction of stereotype threat. This study seeks to investigate how the gender of the support-giver and support-seeker in a peer directed study group affect male dominated STEM majors’ personal wellbeing, social perceptions and STEM-related outcomes using video vignettes of an interaction in a study group. The gender of the support-giver, as depicted in the vignette, influenced social perceptions and to a lesser extent, STEM-related outcomes. Likewise, female participants scored lower in personal wellbeing, social perceptions and STEM-related outcomes, which were consistent with literature about stereotype threat. Implications of these findings and future research directions are discussed.

This research aims to understand the affect that sexual assault trauma has on survivors’ sex lives and romantic relationships. Using a qualitative research method of interviews, ten female-identifying sexual assault survivors from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) were asked about their history, attitudes, and behaviors on sex and relationships. An intersectional approach combined with a feminist lens was utilized in order to understand the lives of these survivors’ post-assault with a sociological perspective. The findings revealed that participants received inadequate formal education on consent in schools. I discovered intimacy challenges both romantically and sexually, where participants revealed a hesitancy and even avoidance to intimate interactions. Relatedly, a struggle in reintegration into society as sexual assault survivors was found to be evident. This study expanded on previous research on the perpetuation of hegemonic masculinity and femininity and its contribution to violence against women. Societal norms such as hook-up culture were also found to be correlated with sexual assault. This study contributes to the existing and expanding research on women who experience sexual assault and their experiences thereafter.

The zine is curated for people who have experienced a world made unlivable for them. It stands strong for those who have faced trauma and felt shattered beyond repair. This is my message to you: Even though some parts of us are lost forever, we can still become someone even greater. We can still cultivate a life that is worth living, having a radically different outlook and appreciation for life.

Gym equipment is not required to follow ADA guidelines to ensure they can be used by people with disabilities. We have adapted one half of a dual-pulley machine to allow our sponsor, a paralympic athlete, to demonstrate these issues and push for change because the components used to alter these machines are often inaccessible. The height adjuster changes the angle between the weight and the user, allowing them to focus on different muscle groups, but if a user cannot reach the mechanism, they cannot use the machine, so we have automated and motorized that aspect. The weight stack requires users to move a small pin to a very specific position, so creating a raised system with linear guides to make that easier will allow users with hand dexterity issues to use the machine on their own. We hope these changes will make exercise more accessible for all.

Past literature examining dissociation beyond white populations is sparse. The few studies that have diversified their sampling report higher rates of dissociative symptomatology amongst black participants as compared to other racial groups. However, much of this research has failed to extend their findings beyond the general conclusion of an observable racial discrepancy in experienced dissociation. The present study incorporates theoretical models of racial traumatic stress and maladaptive dissociative coping in its investigation of perceived exposure to racial abuse as a potential factor for racial differences in dissociation—specifically of the nonpathological variety. Findings reveal a significantly higher rate of nonpathological dissociation amongst black individuals as compared to white individuals. Less statistically conclusive results were obtained regarding the degree of exposure to racial abuse and related dissociative tendencies. Yet, intrinsic limitations within the study were largely due to the difficulty in quantifying the vast complexities of experienced racism, suggesting the tentative importance of the findings. Discussions on racial trauma, dissociative phenomena, and hierarchical networks—as well as suggested directions for future research—are included.

Everyone will suffer from the effects of climate change and environmental degradation, but it is having the greatest impact on people and communities who are already socially and economically disadvantaged. Historical, political, and economic inequalities have created systemic injustices that have always been present, but are now rampaging society at an ever more menacing pace. In the face of climate change, these inequities are not only a detriment to society, but also a threat to human life, disproportionately assailing the most marginalized communities. The present study explores the environmental injustices that are actively forcing countless people and entire communities out of their homes. Through interviews with experts in the field, as well as people directly affected by the issue, this research aims to raise awareness of the problems and human rights abuses that are arising as a result of climate changes. In addition, it explores possible solutions to these problems threatening the environment and human society.

This study aimed to look at the correlations between depersonalization, mindfulness, and specifically the decentering aspect of mindfulness. This study is a correlational design, where 144 participants completed the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS), the Clinician Administered Dissociative State Scale (CADSS), and the Toronto Mindfulness Scale’s subscale for state decentering (TMS-D) on an online Qualtrics survey. It was predicted those higher in depersonalization would also be higher in state decentering. A Pearson’s r was conducted. In line with the hypothesis, both trait, and state depersonalization positively correlated with state decentering. Results also replicate the overall negative relationship between mindfulness and depersonalization. This implies mindfulness is multi-faceted, with many positives for those that experience depersonalization; however, a focus on decentering may not be the best course of treatment. Future studies should continue to examine the effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on depersonalization and the effects excessive decentering could have.

Mobile learning, or m-learning is becoming increasingly popular in the classroom as technology advances and more affordable options hit the market. This systematic literature review examines m-learning in relation to STEM settings for K-8 classrooms. Seven studies published after 2010 were reviewed, focusing on m-learning curriculum and instruction as well as assessment and evaluation. The results reveal that mobile learning has the potential to enhance student engagement, promote collaboration, and encourage creativity. Challenges such as potential distractions and the need for effective content also came up frequently. Successful implementation of mobile learning depends on factors such as teacher training, technical knowledge, and the availability of one-on-one support.

Fan Culture has changed and challenged storytelling through social media platforms like TikTok, Tumblr, and Instagram, opening doors to other perspectives outside the dominant social groups. In the blink of an eye, fandom has turned pop culture into a conversation, highlighting every displeasure or appreciation for the fictional worlds. In these conversations, fans start talking about the representational gaps in the media and come to the mutual understanding that to be represented, marginalized social groups need to break down the mold built by the dominant groups. My project highlights the complexity and diversity of literary fandoms. The interactive website will feature a series of profiles that will investigate how fan culture has fostered a sense of identity and reflection for those who belong to marginalized groups. The interviews I conduct will cover a variety of topics, including how readers have found representation in books featuring marginalized characters and how readers have had to create their own representation in fictional settings of their own design. My investigation aims to help us understand how representation is required to highlight the multicultural nature of our world. It’s past time that the world recognized fandom for more than its negative aspects and instead acknowledged its potential for social good.