Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Journal

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.

This paper presents a systematic literature review on the relationship between influencer marketing and parasocial relationships in social media. Influencer marketing has gained significant traction as an effective marketing strategy with the advent of social media platforms. Thus, this study seeks to explore the impact of parasocial relationships between influencers and their followers on consumer trust, purchasing decisions, the factors that influence these relationships, and how influencers can enhance them to optimize marketing outcomes. The review encompasses analysis of five primary research studies, investigating factors such as interpersonal attraction, personal attributes, intimate self-disclosure, and empathy as determinants of parasocial relationships. The findings indicate that parasocial relationships exert a positive influence on consumer trust, purchase intentions, and brand evaluations. Notably, factors such as interpersonal attraction, intimate self-disclosure, and empathy emerge as key drivers in fostering and reinforcing parasocial connections. The paper concludes by discussing practical strategies that influencers can employ, including two-way communication, personal disclosures, advertising transparency, and tailored content, to cultivate and strengthen parasocial relationships, ultimately enhancing marketing effectiveness. The study underscores the need for further research to deepen our understanding of this phenomenon and its implications for influencer marketing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cotton discs with a blend of sodium alginate and germination compounds were blended into a hydrogel and planted with green onion seeds in order to determine a resulting increase of germination rate. After its product viability was determined, apparatus design was reevaluated to minimize seed suffocation effects with varied results dependent on disc thickness. Though the germination rates were lower than planting regularly, it is believed that if the gel’s physical construction could more resemble soil, the suffocation factor would be negligible and drought tolerance can be more accurately measured.

Tehachapi Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps stebbinsi) is endemic to the Tehachapi Mountains to the Piute Mountains and is listed as a threatened species by the State of California. This species is found in scattered populations from the San Andreas Fault to Walker Basin. Previous studies have found that northern and southern populations of this species have high levels of genetic, color, and size differences. It has been suggested that northern and southern populations of B. stebbinsi, divided by the Tehachapi Valley, could be separate species. We obtained morphological measurements from images of preserved specimens from northern (N = 27) and southern (N = 10) populations. No significant differences in shape or size were detected between these two populations. In future work, we will explore local adaptation, increase sample sizes, and incorporate the evolution of color variation across the range of this species.

The effects of motivation and the depletion of cognitive resources on performance in a sustained attention task were investigated. 17 participants completed a modified version of the continuous temporal expectancy task (CTET; O’Connell et al., 2009). Performance on the CTET is a measure of sustained attention. Monetary reward was introduced as a between-subjects manipulation. Overall performance and performance across time served as behavioural measures of general sustained attention and the vigilance decrement, respectively. An electroencephalogram (EEG) was used to measure the neural correlates of behaviour, in particular, the alpha band oscillation. EEG analysis revealed higher alpha power for pre-target misses compared to hits, indicating a phase-dependent influence on sustained attention influenced by motivation levels. The vigilance decrement occurred in both reward and no reward groups, unaffected by rewards alone. Ceiling effects may have weakened the impact of rewards. Task performance variability suggests the need for a larger sample size to enhance reliability. In conclusion, alpha power differences between misses and hits suggest its role in sustained attention. However, reward did not mitigate the vigilance decrement which persisted across groups. Further research with a larger sample size is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of these effects.