MacEwan Open Journals (MacEwan University)
Not a member yet
2252 research outputs found
Sort by
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Book Design)
No full textSherlock Holmes Book Design Sherlock Holmes, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is a novel from the 1890s about a sharp-witted private investigator solving difficult crimes and murders in London, England. The book is a compilation of short stories all based on the darker themes of crime and murder. Based on these themes, my design leans toward the horror genre while still maintaining a relatable feel. The illustration style is meant to look linocut. The linocut look represents an older style of illustration to connect the 1800s when the book was written, however the look of the illustrations intends to bring the reader into the modern day. The X in the illustration represents the small details that Sherlock Holmes uses to solve his cases. The display type family used for the title and chapter titles is Charcuterie Etched. The etched style ties in to the linocut illustration style while also being a type family that could have been found in an old fashioned periodical or newspaper. This is important to the Sherlock Holmes books because the short stories were originally published in periodicals such as Ward Lock & Co and the Beeton’s Christmas Annual.
Department: Design Studies
Faculty Mentor: Constanza Pache
“Anthem” By Ayn Rand (Book Design)
No full textAyn Rand’s novella “Anthem” takes place in a future society where mankind has entered another Dark Age. In this dystopian society, it is sinful to think of oneself as an individual. The principle of collectivism (serving the state) is the sole guiding force for one’s purpose in life; the dictatorship government controls every aspect of people’s personal lives. Equality 7-2521 narrates and speaks in terms of “we” throughout the text to emphasize societal expectations. Designated as a Street Sweeper in his society, Equality 7-2521 is conflicted between obeying his society’s strict collective code and committing sinful acts such as journal writing, wishing for a different vocation, keeping secrets, thinking scientific thoughts, experimenting with discarded scientific tools, desiring a young woman, changing her name, and wondering about the Unspeakable Word of the past. After sharing an invention with his society’s brightest minds and seeing their fear of change, he decides to go on a forbidden journey of self-discovery which will impact his life and the lives of others for generations to come. Alegreya typeface, used for the interior text, has both a traditional and modern edge to its design. It is easy to read and projects a serious tone which fits well with the theme of the novella. Alegreya has also been used in the book’s images to emphasize the serious nature of conforming to collectivism. Images repeating the word “WE” reflect the lack of individualism in Equality 7-2521’s world. Everyone lacks a voice and must follow what the World Council says. Images reflecting the slow disintegration of the “WE[‘s]” emphasize Equality 7-2521’s evolving nature as he embarks on a journey to find himself as an individual. Once Equality 7-2521 has found his own identity and has separated himself from the collective brotherhood, an image repeating the word “I” appears. Although a white background has typically been used to reflect the repetitive words, a black background with repetitive white type is used at key moments to signify when the plot starts, changes, and ends.The Economica typeface has been chosen for the title, part titles, running headers, bottom page numbers, and the beginning few words at the start of each part. This typeface adds a futuristic element and complements the main text’s Alegreya typeface. Since most of the novella depicts a bleak dystopian future for mankind, a black hazy background dominates the cover. People in the futuristic society have returned to the Dark Ages filled with ignorance and a fear of punishment. The coldness and rough texture of a brick wall emphasize the rigidity of a society which denies its citizens any freedoms. On the back cover, an excerpt from the novella appears in the Economica typeface followed by a summary to entice readers to explore this fictional dystopian society. Below the summary, there is a hint of a literal and metaphorical light providing some hope for mankind to emerge out of the darkness. In the novella “Anthem,” the main character Equality 7-2521 invents a new type of light by running electricity through a copper wire. The red glowing copper wire appearing on the back and front covers coils up to form the base of the burning light bulb image at the end of the novella’s title. The glowing copper wire separates the author’s name (at the bottom) from the title. The copper wire draws the reader’s eye upwards leaving a red tint to the right sides of the dark “ANTHE” lettering of the novella’s title. Becoming the filament component which heats up the light bulb, the “M” of the novella’s title also stresses the importance of moving forward with moral purpose and developing an individual man’s ego rather than pursuing a collective identity. Like the positioning of the glowing bulb at the end of the novella’s title, the narrator does not fully comprehend the importance of individuality until close to the end of the novella.
Department: Design Studies
Faculty Mentor: Constanza Pache
Audience to Allies: : Shared Terror and Cinematic Dread in Peele\u27s Get Out (2017)
No full textFor his first feature film, Jordan Peele wanted to create a horror film for black audiences, who have long been isolated by the tradition of objectification and othering of black bodies within the horror genre. Get Out (2017) highlights the paranoia that defines being black in America, but despite the film’s focus on the black American experience, Peele intended for the film to be an inclusive experience. And judging by the film’s financial and critical success, Get Out certainly resonated with a wide variety of audiences. This paper aims to explore how Peele manages to create a space of terror regarding something white viewers have never experienced firsthand, while simultaneously uncovering the purpose of involving an audience who oftentimes are the perpetrators of the microaggressions Get Out condemns. Using Julian Hanich’s theory of cinematic dread, I will argue that Peele creates a sense of shared terror that transcends racial boundaries, ultimately forcing audience members who have never experienced discrimination based on the colour of their skin into allies.
Department: English
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mike Perscho
What lies behind a narcissist’s selfie? The Implications of Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissist’s Instagram Usage
No full textIndividuals are spending more time on social media sites (i.e., Instagram), which has contributed to decreased in-person contact and increased narcissism. This study examined how vulnerable narcissists (i.e., those characterized by low self-esteem, introversion) and grandiose narcissists (i.e., those characterized by high self-esteem, extraversion) engage on Instagram and how their online behaviour is perceived by others. Given that vulnerable narcissists are more likely to seek others’ approval compared to grandiose narcissists, vulnerable narcissists may be more concerned with their social media behaviour (e.g., spend more time editing their selfies). In turn, these behaviours may be visible to other social media users. In Study 1, we explored whether vulnerable narcissists would spend more time taking selfies and editing them compared to grandiose narcissists. Target participants (N = 152) took selfies in the lab and completed questionnaires assessing their social media engagement. We confirmed that vulnerable narcissists spend more time taking and editing selfies compared to grandiose narcissists. In Study 2, we showed the target selfies to a new sample of perceivers (N = 256) who rated each target’s narcissism, self-esteem, and social media usage. Perceivers were able to detect how long individuals spend on Instagram, how many selfies individuals take, and how long they spend taking selfies. Vulnerable narcissists, but not grandiose narcissists, were perceived as using social media more, as having lower self-esteem, and higher narcissism. Thus, vulnerable narcissists report engaging more in social media behaviours, which viewers can easily detect.
Department: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Miranda Giacomin
 
The Effects of Microdosing LSD on Behaviour in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
No full textThe use of LSD for different forms of mental health treatment of has begun to increase. Therefore, there is a need for scientific evidence as to the effectiveness of this drug. Previous research using the Zebrafish has shown that low doses (5-100 µg/l) had little to no effects on the behaviour of the fish. In this study we used a camera-based video tracking software system to record and analyze the movement patterns of zebrafish after repeated LSD exposure and after 7 days of withdrawal. We used 30-minute small doses (1.5 µg/l, 15 µg/l, 150 µg/l, and control) for a duration of 10 days. and a withdrawal period for 7 days after the final dose of the fish. Testing occurred after 10 days of repeated dosing and again after withdrawal. The open-field and novel object approach tests were used as they are established anxiety-like behaviour paradigms. There was no significant difference to the levels of anxiety within any of the fish after their dosing cycle. There was a significant difference in anxiety-like behaviour after the withdrawal period. These results show that there is likely no or very little effects on anxiety with microdosing at the doses used after 10 days, but there is a possibility of a withdrawal effect.
Department: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Trevor Hamilto
Longitudinal Examination of Causal and Maintaining Dysfunctional Beliefs in Generalized Anxiety Disorder
No full textGeneralized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive and chronic worry. Various psychological models have implicated dysfunctional beliefs as causal and maintaining factors in GAD. The two models that have received the most empirical support include the Intolerance of Uncertainty Model and the Metacognitive Model. Existing research has shown intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and negative beliefs about worry (NBW) to be important factors in GAD. However, the existing research is primarily cross-sectional, which does not allow researchers to determine whether IU or NBW cause and maintain GAD. This study sought to longitudinally examine whether changes in IU and NBW predict changes in worry severity and GAD symptoms. It is hypothesized that NBW will be the stronger predictor of GAD development and maintenance compared to IU. Undergraduate psychology students, scoring high on a pre-screen measure of pathological worry, are currently being invited for inclusion in the study. Online self-report measures will be administered to eligible participants (N = 650) to assess levels of worry, GAD symptoms, positive and negative affect, IU, NBW, negative problem orientation, cognitive avoidance, and fear of emotions. Participants will be invited to return after 4-months to complete the same series of online questionnaires. To date, a sample of 530 participants have completed the initial assessment and 291 participants have completed the 4-month follow-up assessment. Findings from this study will help clarify whether IU or NBW more strongly influence GAD. Additionally, findings could have implications for the treatment of GAD.
Department: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Alexander Penney
 
Bottoms Up: Interpretations of Consent and Culpability with Alcohol Use in Sexual Assault Scenarios
No full textIn legal and public domains, intoxication of sexual assault perpetrators and victims has been shown to impact the interpretation of culpability for one’s actions. In general, research has demonstrated that perpetrators of violent crimes, such as sexual assault, who have consumed alcohol is perceived as less responsible for their crime, while intoxicated victims of those crimes are perceived as more responsible for the incident. The present study was designed to further investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption, the sexual history of the persons involved, and sexual assault. Undergraduate participants were presented with a vignette depicting an ambiguous sexual assault scenario, a judgment questionnaire, and self-report measures. The vignettes differed according to alleged perpetrator intoxication (sober/mild/moderate/extreme), alleged victim intoxication (sober/mild/moderate/extreme), and the sexual history of the couple (no sexual history/sexual history). We assessed participants’ perceptions of perpetrator/victim consent and culpability, as well as their overall assessment of the scenario (i.e., how violent/severe) and general perceptions of alcohol use and sexual assault allegations. Overall, victims were perceived as more responsible as their intoxication increased, while extremely intoxicated perpetrators were viewed as less responsible for the assault. Unexpectedly, previous sexual history had no effect. Implications of these findings will be discussed.
Department: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kristine Peac
The Role of Metacognitions in Health Anxiety
No full textIndividuals with severe health anxiety (HA) disproportionately believe that they have, or may acquire, a serious illness. Additionally, individuals with severe HA often engage in somatization, which is the tendency to report physical symptoms that do not have a detectable cause. Past research has established that anxiety sensitivity and somatosensory amplification contribute to HA. Other variables, such as intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and metacognitive beliefs, have been recently associated with HA. However, these factors have not been assessed together in a single study. Through self-report questionnaires, the present study examined whether IU, metacognitions, and cognitive avoidance are associated with HA in a university sample (N = 564). Cognitive avoidance was included as an exploratory variable. Using a hierarchical regression analysis, metacognitions about illness beliefs, and metacognitions about the uncontrollability of thoughts, uniquely predicted HA when controlling for both anxiety sensitivity and somatosensory amplification. An additional hierarchical regression analysis determined that metacognitions about illness, metacognitions about the uncontrollability of thoughts, and metacognitions about biased beliefs uniquely predicted somatization when controlling for anxiety sensitivity and somatosensory amplification. IU, and cognitive avoidance, did not emerge as unique predictors for either HA or somatization. These results indicate that both researchers and clinicians may wish to further explore the role of metacognitive beliefs in the development and maintenance of HA.
Department: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Alexander Penne
Molecular Docking and Dynamics of CePNKP Phosphatase Binding to the ss-5-Mer TCCTC
No full textPolynucleotide kinase/phosphatase (PNKP) is a DNA repair enzyme found in mammals, which recognizes and repairs DNA backbone breaks with 3\u27-phosphate and 5\u27-hydroxyl ends. DNA can be damaged by ionizing radiation, chemical agents and enzymatic action. The phosphatase domain of PNKP recognizes the 3\u27-phosphate group, excises it, and replaces it with a 3\u27-hydroxyl group, thereby making the 3\u27-end ready for the action of a ligase that completes the DNA strand. In this work, the single-stranded 5-mer TCCTC sequence was docked to the phosphatase domain of the C. elegans PNKP using the Modeller interface implemented in the UCSF Chimera software, taking into account the crystallographic information available. The structure of the complex was subject to a classical molecular dynamics protocol using Gromacs. Molecular dynamics is a computer simulation technique that allows us to compute dynamic and thermodynamic properties to determine the physical interaction between the PNKP phosphatase and the ssDNA.
Department: Physical Sciences
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jorge Llan
Dominant Racial Discourses in Social Media Through the Lens of Black Representation in Film
No full textThe topic for this research project involves the observation of racial discourses in social media; in particular, this project will be examining how discourses surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement are reflected in Tweets made in response to the casting announcement for actress Yara Shahidi’s involvement in Disney’s upcoming Peter Pan and Wendy film. This project will focus on Tweets made with the hashtags #BlackLivesMatter and #BLM, as well as Tweets responding to Yara Shahidi’s casting announcement, with both categories of Tweets being pulled from a time frame of September 20, 2020, to October 05, 2020. This time frame was chosen based on the time when Shahidi’s casting was announced, on September 25, 2020, in order to observe the discourses on the Black Lives Matter movement that were taking place before, during, and after the announcement. This project is being conducted with the hopes of demonstrating how opinions on Black actors’ casting in traditionally white roles demonstrate the overarching discourses which are present in online conversations surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement.
Department: Sociology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kalyani Thurairaja