MacEwan Open Journals (MacEwan University)
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Religion and Youth Delinquency
No full textThis project looks at the impact that religion has on youth delinquency. The project examines religion through social control theory and explores religion as an agent of social control for its members, in particular youth. The project analyses the relationship between religious affiliation and youth delinquency and considers how belonging to a religious community decreases the likelihood of youth participating in delinquent behaviors. The analysis suggests that being part of a strong community and having a positive value system reduces the likelihood of youth becoming delinquent. Additionally, this implies that there are ways to reduce the likelihood of delinquency occurring and that involvement in a religious community is a valuable method for keeping youth from becoming delinquent
Hello, World: An Internationalization at Home Project for Computing for Social Good
No full textInformation technology has connected our world and its citizens in incredible ways. Despite this connectedness, students are often isolated within their “online bubbles” of their own university, city, or country. Technology provides a great opportunity to connect them to a broader global experience. We have developed and piloted a cross-institution activity as part of an Internationalization at Home (IaH) initiative to expose first year computer science students to the concept of computing for social good in an international context. We explore how differences in culture can influence students’ perceptions and approaches to computing for social good. Specifically, we had students from a Mexican and Canadian university discuss how computing for social good could be used to solve issues they faced in their communities. Students participated in surveys where they proposed and ranked applications for social good. The students also participated in a videoconference discussion with the students of the other school to discuss their choices. Thematic analysis revealed that the students had much more in common with each other than they had differences. Both groups not only focused on similar areas of interest, but they also tended to focus on solving issues faced by their local communities. The majority students felt they were more similar to their peers of the other culture than they were different. Finally, while our report shows the students had much similarity, the students reported that the experiences in participating were surprising and new.
Faculty Mentor: Cameron Macdonell
Department: Computer Science
An analysis of the needs and wants of MacEwan University students in regard to an on-campus food delivery service
No full textNo abstract available.
Faculty Mentor: Fernando Angulo-Ruiz
Department: Marketin
Perceptions of Agentic Versus Communal Traits in Female Surgeons
No full textOur perception of others influence who we decide to approach or avoid, even from minimal information (e.g., a person’s facial appearance). Pertinently, individuals who are perceived as more leaderlike (i.e., dominant, competent) are more likely to be elected into office or even hired as CEO’s (Rule & Ambady, 2009). In the present study, we aim to investigate whether agentic (e.g., dominance, competence) or communal traits (e.g., warmth, trustworthiness) are favored among high-status women. In the present study, we will recruit 200 MacEwan University students via SONA (online research database) to complete an online questionnaire. Participants will view 200 facial photographs of female surgeons from across Canada. Participants will indicate their rating of each individual on one trait (e.g., dominance, competence, surgeon-like). In addition, the participants will be in either one of two conditions: they will be told that they are rating female surgeons or not. I expect to find that female faces perceived as more agentic (vs. communal) will also be perceived as more surgeon-like or leader-like. This effect should be amplified when participants know they are rating female surgeons. If these findings hold true, it suggests that facial perception plays important roles in determining one’s status, specifically for females in male-dominated roles.
Faculty Mentor: Miranda Giacomin
Department: Psycholog
Raised Without Gender: An analysis of views towards gender-neutral parenting
No full textThis study examined opinions in the comment section of a YouTube posted documentary: Raised Without Gender. A content analysis of the top 200 comments on the video showed diverse opinions in the statements made toward gender-neutral parenting approaches from strong support to strong disapproval. Most comments indicated disapproval towards various aspects of gender-neutral parenting and some comments displayed an extreme negative stance towards to the parents modeling the approach. Findings demonstrate both the progressive steps societies have taken towards a more gender-neutral future, yet also highlight the many areas in which binary norms continue to be enforced and supported today.
Faculty Mentor: Diane Symbaluk
Department: Sociolog
Benzo[a]pyrene as a behaviour altering compound in zebrafish
No full textCrude oil and other petroleum products contain the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon Benzo[a]Pyrene (BaP). This toxin affects the metabolism, physiology, and morphology of numerous species. However, the impact of BaP exposure on behaviour in aquatic organisms remains largely unexplored. Some studies suggest exposure may lead to increased boldness or aggression in marine fish. Shoal cohesion in zebrafish has been well explored and pharmacologically validated as a method of measuring boldness and anxiety-like behaviours, with increased boldness presenting as a more spread out shoal, with a greater inter-individual distance. To further explore the impact of BaP on behaviour in a freshwater species, we exposed shoals of 5 zebrafish (Danio rerio) to doses of 2.5, 25, and 250 µM of BaP and examined shoaling behaviour. Acute exposure (30 minutes) to BaP (250 µM) reduced shoal tightness, increasing the inter-individual distance. This suggests an increase in boldness due to acute BaP exposure, and an impact of BaP on social behaviour in zebrafish. This study confirms that acute exposure to BaP may directly impact behaviour, with the candidate mechanism to be explored in further studies.
Faculty Mentor: Trevor Hamilton
Department: Psycholog
Describing Political Positions
No full textWhen discussing their political views, people tend to believe in their positions with a great deal of certainty while also misperceiving others’ certainty as indicating extremity. The current study strived to test whether people would tailor their expressed certainty when they believed they were interacting with someone who agreed with them, disagreed with them, or was neutral on the topic. Participants provided descriptions of their views on two political issues and were randomly assigned to describe their position as if they were to explain it to someone who shared their views, opposed their views, or had no opinion on the issue. Participants ultimately came across as quite certain when describing their political positions, regardless of whether they were communicating with an opponent or compatriot. Consequently, participants were more likely to state their ideas as fact and use language that enhanced the apparent certainty of their statements. Participants rarely tempered their certainty and often did not recognize opposing positions without also criticizing it, especially when faced with someone who disagreed. These findings suggest that people will not change how certainly they describe their views when given the motivation to do so.
Faculty Mentor: Craig Blatz
Department: Psycholog
The Racialization of Motive: Understanding the Framing of East Asian Crime in Video Games
No full textTo gain a comprehensive understanding as to how East Asian crime is framed in video games, the origin stories of three video game protagonists were examined. To accomplish this, a coding scheme was utilized to draw themes on protagonist motive, which was then compared to Liu’s Asian paradigm theory (Liu, 2016). By doing so, it demonstrated the homogenization of motive in relation to East Asian culture and emphasized honour as a racially explicit motive. These findings are discussed concerning accurate cultural framing and the development of the racialized other
Faculty Mentor: Kalyani Thurairajah
Department: Sociolog
Adrift
No full textA series of the the unknown
Faculty Mentor: Constanza Pacher
Department: Design Studies
 
MacEwan Book of the Year Poster Designs
No full textThese posters were designed to give a visual representation to the book Sweetland, by Michael Crummey, for a project in Typography II. The main idea behind the series of posters was to represent the slow deterioration of everything around Sweetland, and how he tries to hold onto the past and pretend that everything is going well. The type speaks to this concept in that it is peeling and cracking, and starting to disappear from the surface it was painted on due to it’s age and poor treatment. There is a progression of the deterioration in the posters, with the first one having minimal damage, the second a bit more, and finally at the end, it is the most worn away. It represents how at first things seem to be starting to change and Sweetland wants to prevent that change, but in the process he begins to lose everything he wanted to hold onto.
Faculty Mentor: Constanza Pacher
Department: Design Studie