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- Creators: School of Life Sciences
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Description
Exercise has been shown to offer an array of mental health benefits including heightened confidence, intellectual functioning, sexual satisfaction, and reduced anxiety and depression. Various exercise formats, including strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and mind-body exercise, all have been shown to enhance mental well-being. Notably, group fitness classes have been found to have a significantly greater impact on mental-wellness than individual exercise sessions. Given the current college mental health crisis and lack of holistic lifestyle interventions, this study aims to apply this understanding to initiate positive reform. A cross comparison was conducted between strength, cardiovascular, and mind-body group fitness classes at the Tempe SDFC. Before and after mood surveys were administered to highlight potential changes in depression, anxiety, anger, and positive feelings. Across 26 participants, 16 strength, 19 cardiovascular, and 16 mind-body classes with corresponding before and after surveys were successfully completed. The results revealed significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and anger across all class types. Interestingly, significant increases in positive feelings were only observed for cardiovascular classes. These findings suggest that campus group fitness classes may serve as a valuable resource for improving student mental-well being. On a broader scale, this study contributes to increasing awareness about the effectiveness of exercise as a powerful tool to promote mental wellness alongside physical health.
ContributorsUppal, Kirin (Author) / Hart, Teresa (Thesis director) / Meier, Madeline (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This thesis aimed to investigate the psychological impact associated with altering models of compensation in a tournament setting, with a focus on stress levels and the incentive to win. The research methodology implemented a qualitative and quantitative approach, utilizing a Qualtrics survey to obtain primary data from a broad sample size of Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business students. The study’s hypothesis was confirmed, as the results displayed that altering models of compensation offered within a tournament could reduce stress levels while simultaneously increasing the participants’ motivation to succeed, subsequently improving the competitors’ contentment with the tournament. The analysis of the differing compensation models revealed that offering compensation based on performance contributed to the lowest levels of stress for competitors, while the performance-based package provided the greatest influence on incentivization to win. However, the findings suggest that event coordinators should utilize some modification of the half-and-half model of compensation, that is, providing an initial form of compensation for all participants followed by competition for a secondary monetary compensation, to provide the optimal competitive setting and enhance the subjective satisfaction of the players.
ContributorsFallini, Steffen (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
This thesis examines the relationship and cooperation between Arizona State University Emergency Medical Services (ASU EMS) and local emergency services, such as the Tempe Fire Department, focusing on enhancing collaboration and trust-building within the prehospital care context. ASU EMS, primarily a standby service at university events, relies closely on the Tempe Fire Department for the transportation of patients. The fire department, conversely, is aided when ASU EMS is able to treat and prepare patients before transportation for an expedited arrival to more advanced care at a hospital. There is a significant opportunity to be built upon from improving the relationship and connections between these two organizations, through utilizing shared trainings in order to familiarize one another with operational strategies and potential wisdom about various aspects of patient care. The thesis will apply Bolman & Deal's four-frame model—structural, human resource, political, and symbolic—to dissect and propose improvements to inter-organizational relationships and practices. The structural frame will examine the logistical aspects of coordination between agencies, while the human resource frame will consider the development of mutual respect and effective communication strategies. The political frame will analyze the power dynamics and competition for resources, and the symbolic frame will address the shared values and culture that underpin successful collaboration. The study also draws on experiences from ASU EMS staff, the National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation (NCEMSF), and research from the National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials (NASEMSO). Together, this analysis offers a multifaceted approach to strengthening the bonds between collegiate and municipal emergency medical service (EMS) providers for the betterment of the community and patient care in Tempe, Arizona.
ContributorsJohnson, Jeremiah (Author) / deLusé, Stephanie (Thesis director) / Cortes, Fernando (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Research has confirmed a Vertical Attention Bias that directs attention to the tops of objects and the bottoms of scenes. Consistent with ecological theory, our perceptual system functionally adapts to the natural regularities and affordances in the environment forming biases, and generally adopts a downward gaze vantage that focuses attention on the behaviorally relevant locations. To date, the downward vantage tendency has been investigated using static images where there is a lack of dynamic perspective and natural behavior. The current experiment investigates real-world, active gaze allocation while participants wear mobile eye tracking glasses. Participants simulated their daily routine and executed 8 of the most common behavioral tasks according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: walking inside, walking outside, socializing in person, socializing on webcam, housework, eating and drinking, phone time, and personal care activities. Each of these tasks were performed in consecutive 5 minute blocks. Participants were instructed to perform each task as they normally would, and were allowed to engage in unspecified concurrent behaviors that typically occur (e.g., watching television while eating). For each behavioral task, head and eye tilt were used to calculate gaze angle and that value was compared to the horizontal plane of the observer's eye (i.e., degrees above or below their natural eye-height). Overall, the average participant gaze angle was below the horizontal plane and was moderated by the task-specific context of each behavioral task, supporting a generic downward vantage tendency that focuses attention on personal action space and body-level affordances.
ContributorsKigin, Patrick (Author) / McBeath, Michael (Thesis director) / Coza, Aurel (Committee member) / Corbin, William (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This undergraduate thesis explores the complexities and richness of navigating a bicultural identity between Indian and American cultures. Through personal narratives and broader societal analysis, it delves into the intricate landscape of living as an American-born Indian, examining the joys, challenges, and profound learnings that arise from straddling two worlds. The work opens with an intimate account of the author's experiences growing up bicultural in America, highlighting the pressures to conform to expectations from both Indian and mainstream American society. It examines issues of racism, cultural traditions, generational divides, and the quest to forge an authentic, hybrid identity. Expanding from the personal, the thesis investigates the impacts of globalization on cultural integration, the importance of community support systems, and the evolving nature of the Indian-American experience across generations. It celebrates the invaluable contributions of the Indian diaspora in enriching the tapestry of American multiculturalism. Ultimately, this exploration is a celebration of the resilience and strength fostered by embracing one's full, multicultural self. It is a call for greater inclusivity, empathy, and respect for the complexities of identity in our increasingly interconnected world. Through sharing this journey, the work empowers others navigating bicultural realities to take pride in their hybrid identities as a source of power rather than compromise.
ContributorsLukka, Arya (Author) / Stanford, Michael (Thesis director) / Bhatti-Klug, Renee (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
The various muscle fiber types as they are determined by their composition of the myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform, whether it is pure type I (slow twitch) or pure type II (fast twitch), or a hybrid fiber type, are known to impact the overall metabolic function in humans (Serrano et al., 2019). While it is recognized that active high performing individuals (such as strength athletes) have a larger distribution of type IIa muscle fibers, the distribution of hybrid fibers in muscle of lean and physically inactive human fibers remains unknown (Serrano el. Al., 2019). Hybrid fibers are thought to be fibers in the transitional phase of muscle adaptation (Williamson et al. 2001). Previous studies have shown that resistance exercise training increases specialized fiber composition as compared to hybrid variants. Given the relationship between reduced metabolic activity and quantity of transitional fibers, it is possible that sedentary individuals may have a less effective metabolic profile. This study examines the composition of MHC content in muscle fibers, with a special emphasis on describing hybrid fibers in lean, physically-inactive individuals, to improve our understanding of muscle adaptation and metabolic health. The study provides a directed analysis of hybrid fibers into I/IIa and IIa/IIx groups in physically inactive humans, which adds to our knowledge of muscle fiber specialization in response to physical activity. This research proposes to test the hypothesis that an individual's distribution of muscle fiber types is influenced by the prevalence of hybrid fiber types, when categorized using single fiber SDS-PAGE, with a specific focus on lean individuals. Through single muscle fiber SDS PAGE analysis of 1821 fibers from 11 participants, 293 were identified as hybrid fibers, with a greater prevalence of IIa/IIx hybrids compared to lean-active healthy adults. Through this investigation, we aim to contribute valuable insights into the complex interplay between muscle fiber types, potentially informing future therapeutic strategies targeting muscle function and metabolic health.
ContributorsSodhi, Sukhleen (Author) / Katsanos, Christos (Thesis director) / Serrano, Nathan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)
Created2024-05