McNair Scholars Symposium

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  “Transgender Insanity” and Scapegoating: President Donald Trump’s Political Rhetoric Regarding Transgender Americans

  Savannah Torres

  Words are powerful. In an era where the words of political leaders evoke more attention than their policies, political rhetoric must be recognized for the powerful tool it is and its implications. The rhetoric of political leaders can greatly influence how a vulnerable community will be treated and viewed by society, with the choice language of the political leader signaling either inclusion or exclusion for the community. This study examines how President Donald Trump uses his political rhetoric to scapegoat the community of transgender Americans in the American political sphere. Limiting rhetorical media to speeches, interviews, remarks, rallies, and debates, transcribed by Roll Call, rhetoric mining is used to identify and analyze keywords, including “transgender”, “transitioned”, “sports”, “sex changes/operations”, “gender”, “hormone/puberty”, and “child sexual mutilation” to determine President Trump’s language pattern when referring to transgender Americans. Relying on J.L. Austin’s and John Searle’s speech act theory as a theoretical framework, this analysis explores how Trump’s political rhetoric functions as a performative act of scapegoating. With Excel being used to mine and analyze the repetition of the keywords, it is expected that the analysis will reveal that Trump’s performative act of scapegoating the transgender community can be seen through his purposeful stigmatizing language regarding transgender Americans, resulting in their political “otherness” and discrediting of their gender identity within the political sphere. Ultimately, this study seeks to raise awareness on how performative political rhetoric can contribute to the continued marginalization of vulnerable communities and emphasize the consequences of such rhetorical choices persisting.

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  Turns Out, Latinx Faculty Doesn’t Mean the School Sucks: The Faux Relationship Between Latinx Saturation Rate and Institutional Prestige

  Julianne Pena

  Understanding Hispanic Serving Institutions (HIS) provides an avenue into shedding light on the lack of Latinx faculty within HSIs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between saturation rate and prestige. Data were extracted from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities to identify the HSIs and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System to assess the total number of faculty, students, applicants, and those admitted to each institution. Results show that there is no relationship between White representation and institutional prestige.

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  Why Aren’t Young Adults Voting? A Quantitative Analysis

  Haley Aleman

  Even though college aged students are one of the largest elibible voting blocks within the United States, students have in the past demonstrated low voter turnout in elections. This study aims to explore what the underlying causes of this phenomenon are through asking: Why are college aged students not voting? Through this, it is specifically investigated if voter disengagement stems from a sense of political apathy or rather from issues regarding accessibility. Using data from the American Nation Election Studies (ANES) database, responses from individuals aged 18 to 26 are analyzed in order to assess the relatiuonship between different barriers that may be contributing to a lack of electoral participation. To determine whether there are statistically significant relationships present between these multifaceted factors and the voting behavior of young adults, chi-square tests of independence will be employed. The primary goals of this study is to clarify is the present disengagement and offer a more nuanced understanding of voting behavior of young college aged individuals. Findings from this statistical analysis aim to inform future outreach and civic engagement promotion among universities to better support and increase participation in young voters.

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  Analyzing the Relationships between Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders in American Adolescents, aged 12 to 25, Using a Quantitative, Correlational Design

  Jacob Rodriguez

  There have been series of articles which analyze the relationships between substance abuse and mental health disorders among. Many of these resources provide statistics which display the impact that substance abuse can have on mental health, and vice versa. Moreover, among the population of substance users, a wide fraction of them are adolescents. Adolescents who suffer from substance abuse and other mental health disorders generally come from low- income households or impoverished communities, poor quality education or have low educational achievement, and are unemployed or have low-paying jobs. A high percentage of these individuals are also white, with only a fraction of them being Hispanic, black, or other. Additionally, both males and females appear to be significantly affected by the impact of substance abuse in their lives. This research examines the relationship between substance abuse disorders and mental health disorders in a national sample of adolescents, ages 12-25. The research was conducted using a quantitative, correlational design. The results indicated multiple significant positive and negative correlations between substance abuse and mental health concerns. The results suggest the need for greater advocacy against substance abuse in adolescent populations and increased treatment to prevent its negative consequences. In this way, people can understand the devastating effects of substance abuse and initiate recovery, which would create a future that is populated with healthy emerging adults.

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  Comparative Financial Analysis of HSIs, HBCUs, and Liberal Arts Colleges: Net Present Value and Return on Investment Perspectives

  Sophia Phelan

  This research presents a preliminary expedition into identifying the relationship between Net Present Value (NPV) and Return on Investment (ROI) of general liberal arts institutions, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). HSIs and HBCUs have a long tradition of serving specific underrepresented communities of color, fostering success through culturally appropriate learning environments. This research utilizes a unique business lens to discuss the value of a service-based institution using tools such as value proposition and consumer fit. And then, it compares each set of institutions using ROI and NPV. The data, sourced from College Scorecard, Georgetown University, and Data USA, consolidated into a unique dataset composed of four-year universities that predominantly grant bachelor’s degrees in non-rural Texas, with a small (642) to small-medium (4,547) student body, and coincidentally, religiously affiliated. An important note is that on average the black student body population in this data set, as well as across Texas, tend to be smaller than the Hispanic student population which could affect the data and the overall performance of HBCUs. The preliminary outcomes of this research reveals concerning trends. While HSIs and liberal arts institutions exhibit similar NPVs over a 40-year period, HBCUs start from a lower NPV and experience slower growth. This disparity suggests a potential financial disadvantage for HBCU graduates. Similarly, HBCUs have lower ROIs, even when compared by majors to the other institutions. This research demonstrates a disparity in post-graduation achievement, in metrics of NPV and ROI, but further research is necessary to determine where the gap originates.

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  Comparing three methods to determine acidity in brewed coffee

  Carolina Saldivar

  Coffee is a mixture made up of nonvolatile and volatile compounds which have a sensory appeal. The purpose of this study is to compare three methods to measure coffee acidity in a brewed coffee sample. The three methods are titratable acidity to a pH 8, a titration curve with a gran plot, and HPLC to detect 3-,4-,5-caffeoylquinic acids. The acidity measured using each method was 71 ± 9 mg/g, 45 ± 3 mg/g , and 27 ±6 mg/g, respectively, where the acidity is reported as mg CQA per gram of coffee grounds. HPLC resulted in the lowed amount of CQAs because only CQAs were being analyzed, while the other methods account for all acids in the coffee sample.

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  Comprehensive Signal Strength Mapping for Indoor Object Localization

  Joshua Riojas

  Congested environments resulting in numerous reflections from one or more radio frequency (RF) sources exacerbate the accuracy of Time Space Positioning Information (TSPI). The St. Mary’s Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Lab, being a highly reflective building (almost entirely metal), renders the use of GPS signals for indoor localization impractical. Consequently, this has led to exploring the utilization of RF reflections to determine an object’s position. Recently, Kimberly Tse, a graduate student from St. Mary’s University, designed a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based TSPI localization model, achieving a 94% accuracy with synthetic data simulated via MATLAB and validated by real-world signal strengths gathered across a small area of the UAS Lab [1]. This paper presents a different approach to gathering signal strengths across the UAS Lab to provide comprehensive data for enhancing the machine learning model’s localization accuracy. We utilized a calibrated in- frared camera system with real-time TSPI to gather accurate positioning truth data and employed robotic cars to cover a specified area, thereby laying the groundwork for future analysis and model training with submillimeter precision.

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  Computational Magnetic Reconnection in Plasma

  Joshua Mendez

  Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process in plasma physics, playing a critical role in the dynamics of high-energy environments such as those found around pulsars. This research aims to elucidate how magnetic reconnection contributes to the regular high-energy electromagnetic emissions from pulsars through 3D computational modeling. Utilizing WarpX, an advanced software optimized for supercomputer clusters, we simulate plasma under extreme conditions to provide insights into the complex interactions and energy transformations. Our findings indicate that 3D models offer a more accurate representation of plasma behavior compared to 2D models, revealing significant details about the mechanisms driving pulsar emissions. This study advances our understanding of pulsar environments and the broader implications of magnetic reconnection in astrophysical plasmas.

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  Determination of Midgut Protease Activity in Zophobas morio Larvae Fed a Diet Containing Microplastic Particles

  Julia Martinez

  Microplastics (MPs) are pollutants in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems consisting of particles from 5000 mm to 0.01 mm in diameter. These small plastic particles persist in the environment; they are easily ingested by most organisms, and may produce degradation products known to disrupt endocrine systems. The abundance of MPs all over the planet is so immense and wide-ranging that many scientists today have begun studying their effect on biological organisms, which is still not well known. Superworms (Zophobas morio larvae) have been shown to be capable of breaking down major plastic polymers such as expanded polystyrene foam through both physical and biochemical mechanisms, but the effect of this degradation on their digestive enzyme activity has yet to be characterized. This study aimed to measure the effect of ingesting various microplastics on midgut protease activity in the larvae of Z. morio. The superworms were fed a standard diet, with some being “laced” with plain nylon, polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene microparticles at various concentrations, as well as polystyrene foam. The protease activities of their midgut tissues were measured using azocasein. The ingestion of plastics appeared to cause alterations in midgut protease activity, particularly in the nylon, polypropylene, and polystyrene feedings. The mechanism of these alterations remains to be determined. Possible effectors include endocrine disruption, inflammation of the gut lining, or disruption of gut microbiota. Future directions include measuring the protease activities of gut contents (secreted enzymes), as well as examining specific proteases such as trypsin and chymotrypsin.

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  Ethnorace and Latine Decolonial Feminisms: Filling the Gaps of Erasure

  Marie Peterson

  This paper discusses how decolonial feminists, specifically from a Latine perspective, can mitigate issues of erasure using the concept of ‘ethnorace.’ One major figure in decolonial Latine feminist theory, María Lugones, has offered notable contributions to the field through her analysis of the modern/colonial gender system. Despite the advancements her work makes, her readings of Black feminist scholars have been critiqued for the potential erasures enacted by her account of decolonial feminism. For example, Kathryn Sophia Belle and Emma D. Velez have highlighted how Lugones’s interpretation of intersectionality may misrepresent the theoretical framework as developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw, as well as the history of intersectional approaches in Black feminist theory. In this paper, I argue that the concept of ethnorace can be used within decolonial feminism to address these erasures. Using Linda Martín Alcoff’s argument for Latine identity as an ethnoracial identity, I propose a new account of ethnorace as an identification category that considers the racial, ethnic, and historical/political aspects of an identity. Such an account, I argue, brings awareness to both the heterogeneity and racialization of such a group. If this account of ethnorace is used in a rereading of Lugones’s work, it can alleviate the erasures of Black feminist theory committed in her original reading of intersectionality and, moreover, bring into focus the experiences of multiply-marginalized Latine people. This paper therefore serves as a contribution to feminist decolonial theories concerned with coalition-building across marginalized communities.

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  Hidden Attunements: A Program Evaluator's Perspective on Student Course Evaluation at St. Mary's University

  Pamela Molina

  The essence of Pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus's observation, “The hidden attunement is better than the open,” underscores the importance of understanding the subtle, unseen connections within the teaching-learning process. In today's educational landscape, it is vital for stakeholders to look beyond superficial student feedback to uncover deeper insights that can drive meaningful pedagogical improvements. This paper explores the historical context and contemporary challenges of student course evaluations in higher education, emphasizing the need for a multi-faceted approach to assessment that transcends traditional metrics. Tracing the evolution of higher education evaluations from their inception in 1928 through post-WWII reforms and the Civil Rights era, this study examines the enduring reliance on empirical evidence and the complexities surrounding high-stakes decisions based solely on student evaluations. The evaluation of the Student Course Evaluation Survey is approached through the lens of a program evaluator, focusing on the instrument's capacity to yield valuable data, the stakeholders involved, and the implications for tenure, promotion, and overall educational quality. By identifying primary, secondary, and key stakeholders, this study highlights the economic, social, and health-related factors influencing student course evaluations. Recommendations include enhancing evaluation design, increasing response rates, implementing screening mechanisms for abusive comments, and separating evaluations from high-stakes decisions. Additionally, incorporating multiple measures of teaching quality and fostering transparency in feedback processes can lead to actionable improvements. The paper concludes by advocating for evidence-based assessment practices and sustainable improvement cycles, as exemplified by Albion College's approach, to optimize educational outcomes and maintain adaptability in a dynamic academic environment.

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  How LGBTQ+-friendly are the IPV resources recommended by the city of San Antonio?

  Elena Montiel

  After noticing the lack of information on domestic violence within the LGBTQ+ community, I wanted to turn to a local community, the city of San Antonio, and their recommended resources. With the lack of domestic violence resources that specialize in the LGBTQ+ community, it is important to recognize how experiences may differ whether or not a person identifies as a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Based in San Antonio, Texas, I conducted a content analysis on the friendliness of each website towards the LGBTQ+ community, using the websites linked to the Metropolitan Health District Domestic Violence page on the City of San Antonio website. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, five themes emerged: community, safety, simplicity, inclusiveness, and education. Given these themes, I analyzed each organization's website for its explicit acknowledgment and consideration of a person who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community and their well-being. Looking at each website at the surface level, I wanted to simulate a person in dire need who may be needing help quickly while also ensuring the safety of their identity. Each organization had its own unique approach to supporting survivors, some catering more to marginalized groups than others. Considering the lack of representation of the LGBTQ+ community within these resources, it is important to acknowledge how easy it is for them to get overlooked.

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  Importance of intervention: In children who witness IPV as to prevent development of detrimental effects on their developmental skills and efforts

  Megan "Lexi" Maldonado

  Recent increases in domestic violence and Intimate Partner Violence have raised concerns about the impact on children and need for early intervention. By understanding that there are crucial milestones during childhood and that there are correlating developmental moments that can be disrupted with along with environmental factors furthermore promotes that there should be a change in awareness around this issue. Trauma exposed children exhibit anger and aggression, possibly due to modeled behavior and if this continues, it can lead to exacerbated behavioral challenges. Children are highly impressionable, meaning they often mimic behaviors observed in their parents. Thus, parental involvement, especially maternal support, plays a crucial role. Yet children are also affected by other environmental factors such as cultural and social ones. By integrating cultural factors into IPV parenting programs, we can create more sensitive and effective support systems for both mothers and children. Additionally, teacher training should address cultural competence and awareness to better identify, and support students affected by IPV in diverse communities. By integrating trauma-informed practices into existing programs, we can create more resilient and healing environments for those affected by IPV. By meticulously examining groups often overlooked—those unaware they are outliers—we can proactively identify warning signs. Early intervention not only prevents the perpetuation of IPV but also safeguards children’s educational development and well-being. If we also focus on positive socio-emotional regulation and regulation prosocial skills may follow and develop as protective factors and therefore a form of resilience. By jumpstarting a conversation where we are collaborating with community organizations, policymakers, and legal experts to create culturally sensitive policies ensures equitable access to justice. By embracing an intersectional approach, policies and programs can better address the unique needs and challenges faced by marginalized populations.

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  Mobile Recruitment Service Quality and its Role in Applicant Attraction in Organization

  Lilian Hernandez Peregrino

  The adoption of mobile devices has transformed the way organizations conduct business. However, despite the prevalence of mobile technology in business, organizations still struggle to recruit and retain talent. In addition, Mobile Service Quality has been identified as a key driver of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in several contexts (e.g., Mobile Banking, Mobile Shopping, Mobile Health Care). Unfortunately, little is known about its role in Mobile Recruitment. As a context-based construct (Parasuraman et al., 1988), it would be important to understand its role in recruitment. In particular, various scholars have identified a notable need for research on recruitment practices within small to medium-sized organizations. There have been calls to research information on the internal recruiting processes employed by these smaller-sized organizations (Biea et al., 2024). In this article, we aim to fill the gap in our understanding of Mobile Service Quality in the context of job applicant recruitment. Specifically, we propose a model that suggests the antecedents of attraction in the mobile context. We theorize that Mobile Service Quality, along with Job Information Quality (i.e., company and job information) and Company Reputation, could be key determinants of applicant attraction.

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  Narcissism in College Students: How Narcissism Relates to Attributions for Test Performance

  Carolina Pinales

  Narcissism, as understood by scientists today, operates in three dimensions. People with high narcissistic neuroticism show lower self esteem and attribute their success more to outside factors (Rohmann et. al, 2019). People with narcissistic extraversion display high self esteem and regularly attribute their success to themselves (Scharbert et al., 2024). Those with high narcissistic antagonism will be more competitive and hostile when their self esteem is threatened (Kwiatkowska et al., 2019;Miller et. al, 2021). In this experimental study, we examined how narcissism influences students’ attributions for their test performance. Participants (n = 201) from Trinity University completed a narcissism questionnaire before taking a test in their preferred major. They then received false feedback telling them either that they performed in the 27th percentile or 82nd percentile. They were then asked how much they attributed their performance to prior knowledge (versus luck and test difficulty). Extraversion and antagonistic dimensions of narcissism did not relate to attributions. However, students higher in neurotic narcissism were more likely to attribute poor performance to their prior knowledge, whereas students lower in neurotic narcissism were more likely to attribute good performance to their prior knowledge (interaction p = 0.015). These results align with prior literature and future studies should review more in depth how different types of narcissism make it so a person may attribute it to other factors than themselves.

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  Optimizing Wind Turbine Management Through AI-Driven Load and Placement Predictions

  Laurene Robinson

  The maintenance and operation of wind turbines create challenges when it comes to maximizing energy efficiency while also producing a minimal amount of wear. It is necessary to determine when is the optimal time to stop a turbine, that being if it's due to mechanical issues, lack of power demand, or environmental factors. Stopping the turbines can save companies resources and improve their system's longevity. In this study, we explore the feasibility of using machine learning to predict optimal loads for these conditions. By modeling variables such as wind availability and current power demand, the model aims to predict what factors lead to the most efficiency. Online simulated datasets might not involve environmental conditions, simulating the data with perfect laminar flow. So we simulated our own data in order to see how turbulence affects airflow patterns over time. To address ⁤⁤these challenges, this research proposes developing an ⁤⁤AI model capable of continuously optimizing turbine ⁤⁤load and placement decisions. Such a model would be able to integrate real-time data on wind conditions and power demand, and then adapt accordingly to environmental changes along with operational constraints. By using AI’s predictive capabilities, the study aims to increase energy production efficiency by making the systems that control the turbines dynamic in the way they continuously adapt to the conditions.

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  Sister Cities: The Secret to More Sustainable Urban Transportation

  Lucero Galvez

  Since the first establishment of Monterrey as a sister city in 1953 (Mexico), San Antonio has continued its efforts in gaining partnerships with cities like Gwangju, South Korea (1981), Kumamoto, Japan (1987), and Darmstadt, Germany (2017). The city boasts 12 agreements with sister cities around the world, with 2 friendship cities in the making. Through these partnerships, sister cities globally have made a commitment to collaborative efforts that support the development of educational, cultural, economic, social, industrial, and economic sectors. The focus now shifts to recent demands made by the UN regarding emission reduction. To explore more sustainable approaches for public transportation in urban settings, this study will provide a comparison between San Antonio and its sister cities when it comes to predominant modes of transport, project outlines in each respective transportation department and optimal examples of sustainable transportation. The goal of this research is to characterize the extent of collaborative influence stemming from sister city agreements on existing transportation policy, focusing on realistic projects that promote sustainability in the city of San Antonio, Texas.

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  Social Media and Film Marketing: A study on Genre Marketing Pre- and Post-Pandemic

  Zoe Parra

  The last few decades has introduced advancements of technology that have allowed for unprecedented connectivity among people worldwide through the utilization of mobile phones, social media, and new digital marketing trends. Marketing managers at film studios with the help of social media now utilize social media platforms such as Youtube, Tik-Tok, and Instagram. engagement. Movies such as the Barbie Movie (2023), Avatar the Way of Water (2022), Spider Man No Way Home (2021), Bad Boys for Life (2020), all employ different marketing methods in their various campaigns that are all ated by the genre in which the film’s story is being told. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic created large widespread restrictions that impacted consumers ability to physcially go out and see a film. This resulted in a major push in film marketers to change how they market their films. Part of the shifts in the prioritization of marketing methods from creating anticipation and informing consumers about a new film project; to the maximization of audience. There is a positive correlation between audience engagement and the success of a film with a trend of the highest amount of engagement being on the date of the initial trailer release of a film and the date that a film opens in theaters. Films that are marketed with their genre taken into a large consideration garner more positive consumer engagement. There are also outside factors that could affect the success of a movie such as how accurately and aggressively the correct audience demographic is being marketed to.

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  The Casualties of the Open-Border Debate: Latinx Feminist Voices on the Ethics of Migration

  Amely Logan

  This paper considers philosophical perspectives on immigration restrictions and the consequences of the open borders debate more generally. The open borders debate within the ethics of migration consists of arguments from philosophers who justify states’ rights to restrict immigration and arguments from philosophers who believe states should have open borders. In discussing the open borders debate, I introduce Christopher Heath Wellman’s “Immigration and Freedom of Association,” where he argues that states do in fact have a right to exclude immigrants from their territories based on the state’s responsibility to keep the state’s citizens’ best interests in mind. In response, I highlight how the language and framing around migrants in works in the ethics of migration, like Wellman’s, itself does harm to migrants. While border enforcement often results in literal mass casualties among immigrants, I argue that social terms that characterize immigrants as “illegals” and “aliens” constitute another type of causality migrants face that is overlooked in the open borders debate. These terms I consider to be a casualty because its causes the “death” of a migrant’s autonomy to find their own identity. They instead battle between society’s perception of their identity and their own, two sides that are almost impossible to connect. By taking seriously Latinx feminist voices, like those of Mariana Ortega and Gloria Anzaldúa, that are often neglected within the ethics of migration, it becomes clearer to understand the immigrant experience and difficulties immigrants face due to the way in which they are portrayed in the United States.

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  The Emergence of Optimal F: Applying Optimal t Logic to ANOVAs

  Fatima Gallardo Ibarra

  Practitioners often deal with missingness when using with-subject designs. While there are useful approaches for dealing with missingness, such as imputation, most are too sophisticated for practitioners to apply. Those that are more manageable, such as deletion methods, have deleterious effects on the interpretability of results. In attempts to reduce the loss of statistical power through preservation of data, research on the use of between-subjects test in within-subjects scenarios have been examined (Avila et. al.,2021). Rather than using a paired samples t-test on pretest/posttest data, an independent sample t-test is used for its potential to increase statistical power form the preservation of data. This method was applied in a previous study in the development of Optima t, where R code is used to identify and perform the t-test with the highest statistical power based on specified parameters. (Cuevas et al., 2023). This study examined whether the logic of Optimal t can be applied to within-subjects scenarios that have three or more measurement points. We considered specified sample sizes (25, 50, 75), correlation (0,0.15, 0.3), missingness (0, 0.15, 0.3), and differences in means (0 sd, 0.25 sd, 0.5 sd). Results were encouraging as this new method, which we refer to as Optimal F, showed promising outcomes with respect to both Type I and Type II error rates. Recommendations for future research are discussed.

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  The High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 using New Statistical Method, Optimal F

  Arianna Ortiz

  The High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) is a unique study that encapsulates data from 25,206 representative samples of students from 10 states in the U.S. ensuring that policymakers are provided reliable information about student trajectories within their state compared to other states and nationwide. The nationally representative longitudinal study of 9th graders showcased trends in continuation through their secondary and postsecondary years with a concentration on understanding the students' trajectories from the beginning of high school into their postsecondary education. The HSLS:09 study encompasses an extensive amount of missing data. Missingness interferes with the researcher’s ability to accurately interpret data of their studies as they are not representative of a population. This is especially true in longitudinal research as a study with a significantly large original sample size may include deletion or imputation methods into missing values resulting in a smaller subset of data. As stated previously, there are numerous solutions to dealing with missingness, such as regression, and multiple imputation, however, this study focuses on reporting mean difference through Type I and Type II error and replacing missing values at random using Optimal F’s repeated measures and one-way ANOVA. It is hypothesized statistical methods will support and stimulate new data creating a mean difference that will be representative of the population. Statistical techniques such as these alter missing values rather than delete cases altogether to conserve the sample size.

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  The Human Touch: Exploring Emotional Attachment Responses to Human and Artificial Intelligence (AI) -Generated Imagery

  Belyn Thompson

  The recent advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) powers numerous image generation tools for various purposes, including marketing. In this article, we are particularly exploring human’s emotional attachment towards human-generated images compared to AI-generated images. From the literature, we found that the mirror neuron network could play a major role in why humans have a stronger connection to human-generated images than AI-generated images. The effect of seeing oneself in an image and being able to relate can enhance the emotional interaction with the image whereas with AI-generated images we see a decrease. Finding a slight decrease in emotional attachment to AI-generated images in contrast to human-generated images often fails to evoke the same connection due to the lack of human elements. However, the reaction to AI-generated images can vary widely due to circumstance. In each case, any diminished emotional response to AI-generated images leads to lower purchase intent, since emotional attachment is a key driver in consumer decision-making. Therefore, by understanding the psychological reasoning of how consumers perceive images in advertising, marketers are better equipped to handle AI-image generation and advertising. As the world progresses, the need to have proficient knowledge of the usage of AI in marketing allows us to get ahead of the AI trend and refine target markets with the scope of AI and AI-image generation.

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  “Thy Will Be Done”: Exploring the Effects of Religious Salience on Intimate Partner Violence

  Carina Pawlak

  Religious beliefs bear a great significance on our lives, as they shape our personal belief systems and affect our relationships with others. Religion has been found to have a positive correlation with intimate partner violence (IPV), an increasingly prevalent issue when looking at male and female relationships. The traditional values such as purity culture and male gender roles associated with patriarchal societies and traditional religious beliefs may magnify the possibility of IPV perpetration. The Bible may also be taken literally by Christianity and misinterpreted to corroborate perpetrators’ abuse. In addition with the lack of proper IPV education and prevention, religious communities may be contributing to the IPV statistics. Several studies show that Christian leaders will encourage IPV victims to stay in their relationships due their unbelief in divorce. This analysis used data from the Crime, Health, and Intimate Partner Problems Survey (CHIPPS), a cross-sectional probability sample of St. Mary’s University undergraduate students (n = 180) designed to analyze differences in partner violence and religion. The focal variables asked participants a variety of examples in which it might be considered okay to hit your partner and religiosity according to religious attendance and personal affiliation. A chi square test was conducted between the variables and the results remain complex throughout. IPV poses a daunting subject amidst the traditional values associated with religion. Future research would be advised to consider variables such as socioeconomic and cultural factors and differences between different denominations of Christianity when examining IPV.

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  Carolina Pinales - 2023

  Carolina Pinales

  John Bowlby’s theory of attachment is found to be a way of explaining why bonds are important in being formed for both physiological and psychological needs to be met in human offspring. However, attachments also exist within and betweenspecies. This study examined 11.71 hours of video recordings of a beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) mother-calf pair housed at SeaWorld Texas over two years of the calf’s life.It was expected that as the calf matured, mother-calf swims would decrease while solo swimming increased. of the duration of myriad behaviors were recorded and included mother-calf swims, solo swims, affiliative behaviors and agonistic behaviors. Although mother-calf swims stayed consistent across the first two years, solo swimming initiated increased. Evidence of secure base and safe haven use was observed between the calf and his mother as was maternal intervention and other caregiving behaviors by his mother. These different interactions suggest that the bond between the mother and calf could be described as an attachment e. Additional study of beluga mother-calf relationships could determine if belugas form specific types of secure or insecure attachments

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  Esmeralda Lopez - 2023

  Esmeralda Lopez

  Past research has shown that cultural stressors are associated with increased symptoms of depression as well as alcohol and drug use and aggressive behavior among Hispanic/Latinx. Cultural stressors are defined as stressors rooted in navigating multiple cultural streams at once. Despite research documenting the detrimental impact of cultural stress, limited research has identified factors, such as acculturative strategies, biculturalism, and familismo, that may diminish experiences of cultural stress. Utilizing a subset of 1189 (74.5% female, Mage = 20.43 years, SD = 3.858 years) college students from the MUSIC survey, we looked to identify how specific cultural assets uniquely impact cultural stressors (i.e., pressure to acculturation, pressure against acculturation, and discrimination). Results indicated that greater Bicultural Identity Integration (BII) was associated with reduced pressure to acculturate, pressure against acculturation and whether these individuals will perceive higher levels of discrimination. In addition, Heritage and U.S. Cultural Endorsement had a positive association with heritage in pressure to acculturate, while Americanism had a negative association with pressure to acculturate. Finally, findings indicated familismo had a positive association with pressure to acculturate. Our findings emphasize that cultural stressors are heavily dependent on Hispanic/Latinx own acculturative configuration (i.e., endorsement of heritage and US cultures and familismo) as well as how they feel about their two identities. These results are discussed in relation to specific cultural stressors that Hispanic/Latinx face in the U.S. and the need for understanding the relationship these individuals faced with competing cultures.