Undergraduate Theses

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Planaria as a model for the effects of the co-use of alcohol and nicotine
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-08) Francis, Kamilah
Poly drug abuse is the abuse of more than one drug, often simultaneously, and is common in many drug-abusers in real-life conditions (Raffa, 2008). The co-use of alcohol and cigarettes is especially prevalent among heavy drinkers such as those diagnosed with alcoholism or alcohol abuse (Bobo & Husten, 2000). The purpose of this study is to gain further insight into the potential mechanisms involved in the poly-drug abuse of alcohol and cigarettes by observing the withdrawal effects of each individual drug versus the combined drugs in the planarian flatworm. Planarian locomotor velocity (pLMV) and atypical behaviours are the behavioural paradigms used in this experiment to quantify the withdrawal effects observed. Results reveal a complex relationship between alcohol and nicotine with interactions between concentration and exposure time to influence the poly-drug relationship.
QEEG profile changes following three total body modification (TBM) treatments
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-08) Jonik, Sirena
The main research question of this study was to determine if the application of TBM would affect baseline states of QEEG activity. It was hypothesized that after completing three treatments of TBM there would be an increase of left hemispheric activity as well as an increase in mood states. This is hypothesized because depression has been shown to cause a decrease of frontal activity, specifically left hemispheric. Therefore, an increase of mood should lead to an increase of left hemispheric activity
The effects of weak electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure on developing Xenopus laevis tadpoles
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-08) Jeyachandren, Jeffrey
The effect of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on biological systems continues to be explored in the scientific literature and is expanded upon in the present study by using Xenopus laevis tadpoles as a model for vertebrate physiology and behaviour . Previous research has shown that weak EMF exposure causes delays in tadpole metamorphosis. The current study assesses the influence of EMFs on tadpole social behaviour by quantifying the strong natural gathering instinct of the animals. EMFs that have an impact on tadpole behaviour are hypothesized to further show quantifiable differences in tadpole neuroanatomy. Results from the present study do not show a significant interaction between field exposure and tadpole growth or social behaviour. Strong limitations are discussed with respect to the data collected. How the data from this experiment coincides with the current literature on biological-EMF interaction is rationalized. Finally, aspects of the present study that can be utilized to guide future research are identified.
Establishing a mechanism for the effects of specific patterned electromagnetic fields at the molecular level using fragmented bacteria
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-08) Bidal, Ryan
Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are a physical property resulting from the movement of charged particles, have elicited behavioral changes. Changes at the microscopic level have yet to be observed. In the present study, the objective was to determine if EMFs have an effect on biological matter and to determine the mechanism producing the change. Bacterial species were an ideal candidate for this type of research, as their rapid growth permitted extensive experimentation. Four separate species of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Serratia marcescens) were lysed to destroy their cellular integrity, exposed to one of three EMF conditions (Sham, Thomas-EMF, LTP-EMF) for 60 minutes, and analyzed using spectroscopic techniques. The effects of the EMFs were ascertained by analyzing the absorbance and fluorescence of biological matter pre and post treatment. Results demonstrated that there was approximately a 10-15% increase in absorbance for solutions exposed to an EMF condition compared to sham. The results indicate that the EMF exposure had no significant impact on the fluorescence of the biological matter within the solution. Biological matter from the different bacterial species had a significant impact on their fluorescence. Implications for these results regarding the theory of abiogenesis shall be discussed.
The importance of verbatim report : a between-subjects investigation
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-08) Beasley, Kayla
Previous research manipulated the vision verb within task instructions and examined both response time and P300 differences in response to a stimulus using a within-subject oddball task. Response time and P300 differences between verb categories indicated the possibility of processing differences, however, these results could also have been a result of task switching given the nature a within-subject design. The current research used a between-subject oddball task to control for task switching and measure response time to stimuli following a specific task instruction. Results provide support for the task-switching account.
Personality and cognition of pornographic offenders; a comparison to sexual and general offenders
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-08) Bazinet, Alexandra
The purpose of the current study is to determine if there are unique personality or cognitive characteristics to help distinguish pornographic offenders from other sexual and general offenders. The participants consist of 45 male offenders, over the age of 18, who have been convicted of viewing child pornography (9), sexual assault (16) or general assault (20). Each of the offenders was also classified by whether they were first time offenders or had prior offenses. Each offender had previously been administered the following two psychometric tests: The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. The results of this study aim to determine if pornographic offenders have exclusive traits to help create proper treatment and preventative programs.
Give me a verb! Give me a noun!: an ERP investigation of perceptual words with ambiguous word classes
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-08) Ferguson, Ryan
Previous research has demonstrated that retrieving a verb from memory elicits different neural activity than retrieving a noun, however, what about words that can be both? It has been found that the context surrounding a target word hold primary importance in the classification of a word as being either a verb or a noun in the case of an ambiguous target word. Using Event-Related Potentials as a physiological instrument to measure cognitive processes through the means of a lexical decision task; the current study will examine brain activity when context is manipulated for words that are considered both verbs and nouns. The target words consisted of 5 English words: view, watch, witness, notice, sense. During the task, there were 2 sets of conditions presented to the participants twice. The first condition consisted of the words ‘to’ and ‘the’ preceding the target word in a random order. The second condition consisted of the word ‘this’ preceding or succeeding the target word in a random order. After the completion of all conditions, participants were prompted to complete a counterbalanced 9-point likert scale for each target word. They were asked to rate their opinion of how strongly each word was classified as a verb or a noun. Resulting ERP data was examined for contextual differences across word context category and between regions of interest montages.
The therapeutic benefits of yelling
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Pagnutti, Sarah J. K.
Yelling has been used as a form of healing in Indigenous cultures (Nabigon, 2010). Research suggests benefits to therapies that incorporate yelling (Karle, Corriere, & Hart, 1973). However, the physiological impact of yelling has not been investigated. The current study explores EEG measurements of yelling as compared to its derivatives (deep breathing and a vocal control). Ten participants from Laurentian University were recruited. Results of relative spectral power analysis provide evidence of a significant increase in relative gamma power following the yelling condition only (F(14,98) = 2.87, p=.001, ŋ2=.291). POMS scores confirm that there was a significant total mood disturbance reduction following the yelling condition only (t(9)=3.68, p=.005). Findings support strategies designed to enhance health and well-being.
Effects of cordycepin on regeneration in a planarian model
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Ross, James
Used widely in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the cordyceps mushroom has been shown to offer a plethora of health benefits. Aiding ailments from chronic fatigue to cancer, the major bioactive molecule, cordycepin, may also assist in tissue repair. To test these unsupported claims, planarian were cut in half to serve as a regenerative/wound healing model with cordycepin being administered at nine varying concentrations. Specific aspects of growth, being total length and blastema length, were observed over the 6 days following amputation. After analysis of variance, a significant interaction between segment and concentration was recorded with concentrations of interest corresponding to 1mM, 100uM, 100nM, 10nM, and 100pM on the 6th day of regeneration, F(8,287)=3.305,p<.01, η²=.0891. Differences in blastema on day 6 of regeneration were also observed, F(8,243)=2.130, p<.001, η²=.087, showing an increase in size in higher concentrations, 1mM and 100uM, and decreases in size when considering the lower concentrations of the experiment, 100nM, 10nM, and 100pM. The differential results indicate the possibility of different mechanisms of regeneration being influenced by cordycepin, but further biochemical testing is required.CordycepinCordycepin
Effects of action video game training on spatial attention
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Thibeault, Michel R.
Studies suggest that action video game play improves top-down attentional control. A current learning to learn theory proposes that probabilistic inference, the ability to identify statistical patterns and create task-relevant perceptual templates to efficiently orient endogenous attention, underlies video game players’ greater performance relative to non-gamers in a variety of tasks. The current study aimed to evaluate this theory using a target detection task known to induce a suboptimal number line top-down template, which results in spatial biases. Participants were trained for ten hours on either Tetris or Medal of Honor. Mean reaction time across all conditions was significantly improved in both groups. However, there was no evidence for enhanced top-down control due to video game training in this experiment.
The effect of pleasant and unpleasant music on judgments of learning and memory recall
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Tompkins, Aleisha
Previous research has suggested that if music is perceived as pleasant, it will evoke a positive mood and if music is perceived as unpleasant or aversive, it will evoke a negative mood. Mood has an effect on memory, as a positive mood enhances cognitive processes, and a negative mood impairs cognitive processes. Research has suggested that Judgments-of-Learning (JOLs) or the predictions of the likelihood of future recall, are generally accurate. According to the Cue-Utilization-Framework (Koriat, 1997), JOLs depend on intrinsic, mnemonic and extrinsic cues. Extrinsic cues include environmental factors such as background music. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of music as a potential extrinsic cue, as perceived as pleasant or unpleasant, on the accuracy of JOLs and memory recall. It is examined whether or not a congruency in music between the learning and testing periods had an effect on the accuracy of JOLs and memory recall. 62 Undergraduate students attending Laurentian University were randomly assigned to one of four conditions including: Pleasant music during learning, negative music during recall, unpleasant music during learning and negative during recall, pleasant music during both and negative music during both. Participants were asked to complete a six-scale mood rating five times throughout the experiment that included items such as cheerful, content, relaxed, irritated, frustrated, and upset. There were two word lists containing 20 words each, and participants were required to progress through a timed PowerPoint where a word would display for 5 seconds and a JOL was made immediately after (in 4 seconds). They were given 5 minutes to recall at the end of each word list. Results did not support the notion that music is an extrinsic cue affecting JOLs as there were no significant differences between conditions. Also, mood dependent memory did not exert an effect on JOLs and Recall, as incongruent conditions had significantly higher mean JOL-Recall than congruent condition (an opposite effect). Overall, JOLs appear to be an accurate predictor of performance.
The relationship between Facebook and body image
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Sloman, Tovah
The purpose of this study is to analyze the frequency of specific activities on Facebook that have a correlation with low body image. Social media websites (SMW) such as Facebook influence mental health which has been reinforced by research. Correlations have been found between Facebook use and various psychological factors such as self-esteem. Body image has become of great concern in general, especially for those who use social networking sites. Previous studies have found conflicting results when observing gender differences. Prior research has found that males and females are shown to have poor body image depending on how often either gender engages in certain activities on Facebook. Therefore, it is predicted that males and females will have low body image due to high activity usage on Facebook. Sixty undergraduate students from Laurentian University were used as the sample. Participants were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire which included gender and age, a Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire which gave an accurate score on body image, and a Self-Report Questionnaire which measured the frequency of Facebook usage. Results of this study may contribute to helping clinicians who work with college students that may be suffering from depression, anxiety, and/or low self-esteem related to poor body image.
The impact of induced emotion on language
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Spence, Melissa
Through the investigation of the relationship between linguistics and cognition, it has been discovered that language differences can be found within individuals based on their current affective state. The current study examined whether the three dimensions of language (pleasantness, activation, and imagery) are evident in the language of participants after affective states have been manipulated. 60 Laurentian students were assigned to one of the three group conditions – positive exposure, negative exposure, or control. Participants were also divided by sex between the three groups. Participants were then asked to write a passage describing a personal event. Passages were examined using the Dictionary of Affect in Language (DAL) to determine the emotionality of the passages. Results were analyzed by conducting a 2x3 factorial MANOVA between subjects; the results failed to support the main hypothesis that the dimensions of language are impacted by emotion. However, results did indicate that females used language with more imagery and detail. Additionally, results indicated that event recall negativity was affected by emotion. Limitations, future directions, and implications are discussed.
An independent analysis of schemas using the Go/No Go Association Task
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Lynch, Serena
Previous research, using the Implicit Associations Test, demonstrated that a slowdown effect in regards to homosexual characters, especially homosexual male characters, exists. However, this task was not developed to observe individual gender attributes. The aim of the current research was to use the GNAT to explore these differences. The results of the current study revealed that a slowdown effect was not equal across the gender categories as it occurred more in homosexual males rather than in heterosexual males and females within schema incongruent trials. This outcome supports previous research using the IAT.
Aboriginal perspectives understanding and comparing the lived experiences and resilience of aboriginal men and women attending higher education
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Rowe, Robyn
Through an in-depth examination and review of the traumatic impact of colonialism and oppression faced by Aboriginal peoples, trends being to appear within the literature. These trends include the intergenerational cycles that foster negative outcomes for Aboriginal Peoples, specifically for those who were forced to endure the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and sexual abuse within the Residential school system. The survivors of this era experience lifelong trauma which is then passed on through the generations to their children, grand-children, great grand-children etc. The numbers of Aboriginal students attending University level, higher education are increasingly low and the research has indicated that this is, in large part, due to the impact of the residential school system and the outlook that Aboriginal Peoples now have towards the education system. Factors of resiliency both positive and negative are described throughout. Positive resiliency, from a western perspective, include the ability to overcome adversity (Scarpino, 2007). This research project utilizes a qualitative method of open-ended one-on-one interviews with Aboriginal men and women who are students at Laurentian University in order to better understand their lived experiences and the aspects that have fostered positive resiliency for them to pursue higher education.
The effect of text difficulty on the missing-letter effect
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Vien, Danielle
Effects of virtual group size on conformity.
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Spreadbury, Melanie
Conformity research in the past has relied on the use of confederates to examine conformity. Modern technology, however, has eliminated the need to involve confederates. Computers, and in particular, online social networks, can be used instead of live confederates with only the idea of other people being needed to pull off a conformity study. While the use of technology is nothing new, the use of social networking in conformity research is limited (Egebark & Ekström, 2011). The current study explores how this phenomenon can be applied to the online world. Twenty-eight Laurentian students were given informed consent and received bonus marks for participation at their Professors’ discretion. All participants completed four tasks on a specially designed computer program created by Professor Stan Koren. Once complete, participants were given a full debriefing which explained the true nature of the study and offered to have their data removed if they wished. Results indicate conformity can happen even in the absence of other people, with minimal stimuli necessary to elicit a conforming response. Results also show informational (desire to be right) conformity dominates normative (being liked) conformity. Limitations, implications and future directions are discussed.
Gender and personality correlates influence on attitudes towards the elderly in indigenous
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Morrisseau, Nakita-Rose
Previous literature indicates that there are cultural differences in attitudes towards the elderly; however there are very few if any that examine Indigenous peoples of Canada’s attitudes towards the elderly. The current study aims to understand the influence of gender and personality factors on attitudes towards the elderly. The Kogan’s attitude towards old people scale and Cattell’s 16 Personality Factor measures were used. Results indicated that Indigenous people have positive attitudes towards the elderly. There was no significant difference between genders. Low tension was the only predictive factor for positive attitudes towards the elderly; and vigilance was the only correlated variable with Kogan negative valance items.
The effects of early life stress on stress induced binge eating later in life
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-09) Sinclair, Amber
Research has shown that stress not only affects our food intake but early life stress can affect this stress/eating relationship later in life as well. To study this, rats were subjected to early life stressors beginning on postnatal day 28 which consist of the adolescent phase of the rats lives, stressors consisted of elevated platform, damp bedding and restraint. On postnatal day 50, when rats had become adults they were then subjected to a mild electrical foot shock, after which, their intake of high palatable food was measured. Results demonstrate that rats who received early life stress ate less after the shock ( ) than rats who had not received early life stress ( ). These results suggest that early life stress increases rats’ sensitivity to stressors, thus reducing their stress related binge eating tendencies. Results obtained in this study demonstrate a potential factor that causes rats to become stress under eaters or stress over eaters.
Comparison of sibling relationships in families of children with autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-07-16) Hughes, Tara
Employing a mixed methods approach, the purpose of this present study was to examine the lived experiences of siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Participants participated in semi-structured interviews and completed two questionnaires. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze interview transcripts and five main themes were identified: Positive Transformational Outcomes, Sibling Demands, Caregiving Roles, Awareness of Developmental Disabilities, and Supports. Questionnaire data from the Sibling Daily Hassles and Uplifts Scale and the Sibling Inventory of Behaviour Scale were also utilized and comparison findings between sibling groups from these questionnaires will be analyzed and discussed.

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