Fall 2007
Volume 1, Issue 1
Dean's Message Dear Readers, Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Farquhar Student Journal. This electronic journal presents excellence in student scholarship. I know you will appreciate the diversity and range of scholarship and the importance of ‘voice’ in many of these articles. Undergraduate scholarship is critical to the success of future research.The caliber and quality of work presented in this journal is outstanding—and is representative of many other undergraduate students’ scholarly work in the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences. In this edition, you will read articles presenting work in several disciplines, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of our college and the commitment of the faculty working with these students. I commend these students and salute those faculty members who have provided mentorship and guidance. The Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences encourages undergraduate student research and scholarship in several ways. An annual Undergraduate Student Symposium is a showcase for a range of scholarship prepared by students (including representations of performances and film). In addition, students—and faculty mentors—can receive financial support for on-going research projects that may also support an honors thesis or an independent study project. Students are supported to attend and present posters at regional and national meetings. Many students serve as assistants to faculty who are eager to share their enthusiasm and curiosity in funded research projects. This journal will represent and reflect all domains of student scholarship. This journal provides an important service to all students—beyond those who publish articles. I am confident that friends who see the results of classmates’ work will more strongly consider such projects themselves. Presentation of scholarship outside the classroom—and outside the university—is one of the obligations of a university. Making our efforts public and accepting criticism is how we improve—and an important lesson of scholarship and science. In particular, I want to thank and acknowledge several faculty members who have shepherded this project and will continue to guide production: Michael Reiter, Ph.D., Emily Schmitt, Ph.D., and Allison Brimmer, Ph.D., have all served in editorial and managerial roles to enable student publication of scholarship. Your comments and feedback are invited and welcome. Sincerely, Don Rosenblum, Ph.D. |
Table of Contents Polygamy: An Inappropriate Relationship Polygamy is a general term that means multiple spouses (White & White, 2005). There are two types of polygamy: polygyny, which occurs when one man has many wives, and polyandry, which occurs when one woman has many husbands. Polygamy has been practiced in the United States as well as in other parts of the world for many centuries. When a family decides to add a new wife to the family, the decision is carefully considered and must be approved before the husband and new wife can get married (Altman & Ginat, 1996). The effect of polygamy on children has been researched but is still unclear. There are many who believe that polygamy is beneficial because it allows men to have many children and helps society (White & White, 2005). On the other hand, many view polygamy as an inappropriate relationship (Moore-Emmett, 2004). The Namesake: A Struggle for Identity
The Effects of Classical Versus Electronic Music on Learning and Recall Research about the possible positive effects of classical music on learning and recall has been quite extensive in the past few years; this phenomenon is known as the Mozart effect. The present study attempted to evaluate the theory that listening to classical music enhances the learning and subsequent recall of new information. Twenty-four undergraduate students participated in this study. In a between-participants design, all participants were assigned to read a short passage while listening to one of four types of music: classical music at either high or low volume, or electronic music at either high or low volume. Subsequently, participants filled out a questionnaire designed to test their recall for the information in the reading passage. No significant differences in recall were found between groups. However, it is suggested that future studies with more participants and more sophisticated research designs be employed before rejecting the Mozart effect. The Effect of Vicarious Learned Helplessness on Critical Thinking
Thank God for Aids: Persistent Stereotypes of Homosexuals in U.S. Network Television This paper explores the use of stereotypes to characterize homosexuals on network television in the United States. With a goal of raising reader awareness of network television’s over-reliance on stereotypes, I argue that the stereotypical depictions of homosexuals on network television has negative and sometimes even dangerous ramifications in contemporary U.S. culture. Many contend that the increasing number of gay and lesbian characters featured on network television is an indication of society’s emerging acceptance of homosexuality. However, this is a false assumption given that many of the shows cited as promoting equality are not meant to do that, but instead are created to improve network reputations, address current controversial issues, and ultimately boost ratings. Stereotypes have long been employed to assist networks in reaching these goals. While the existence of homosexual characters on television is certainly not harmful, using stereotypes in their depiction ultimately has negative implications including limiting viewers’ perspectives and encouraging further stereotyping, discrimination in various forms, and, in extreme cases, perhaps even violence. Influences of Locus of Control on Thinking About a Spinal Cord Injury
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The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri, is a story of
culture, race, and inheritance and how these factors mold our attitudes and direct our lives in an ever-changing society.
The novel follows the lives of Ashima and Asoke Ganguli, and how they left behind a life in India that they had grown
to know and love to live the American dream and provide the best life for themselves and their children. Gogol,
their only son, and the carrier of their family name, struggles incessantly to find his identity while attempting to
mold to his family’s expectations and the expectations of American society. The latter dictated that adhering
to the model of the Standard North American family establishes normalcy. Gogol engages in a constant struggle to remain
loyal to both worlds. Hence, the major theme portrayed in the novel is one of identity. This them is illustrated
vividly by examining the importance of one’s culture and background, gender, and name as the definition of patriarchal
lineage and destiny in life. Such factors that contribute to problems with identity are not only recognizable in Indian
cultures, but can become hindrances for many immigrants who enter the United States each year.
This study was to determine if critical
thinking was affected by vicarious learned helplessness. Learned helplessness is a psychological condition in which
one continues to be hurt or damaged physically or mentally. The hypothesis was that people who were primed with thoughts
or made to believe and think of themselves or others in an abusive relationship would score lower on critical thinking
than those primed with thoughts of a healthy relationship. Thirty participants were randomly assigned into two groups;
one group listened to an audio recording based on a healthy relationship and the other listened to an abusive relationship.
Following the audio recordings a test was administered featuring five critical thinking questions. As predicted, the
scores of people primed with thoughts of an abusive relationship scored lower on the critical thinking questionnaire.
In this study, the effect of locus of
control on a visualization of a spinal-cord injury was investigated. Research has shown that locus of control plays
an important role in determining the control one perceives to have over oneself and events. Life satisfaction
is usually lowered because of negative behavior changes one goes through when experiencing a traumatic event, such
as a spinal cord injury (Livneh, 2001). The research examined the hypothesis that those with an internal locus of control
will be less upset following an intense visualization of a spinal-cord injury (SCI) compared to those with an external
locus of control. The study used a total of 32 college students from Nova Southeastern University. The results indicated
that those who had an internal locus of control were not any less upset than those with an external locus of control. 
