Acadia Scholar
Not a member yet
4433 research outputs found
Sort by
Cigartown
No full textThe Creative Writing Honours Thesis, Cigartown, is a novella that retells Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) in the modern setting of Holeshill, a fictionalized version of Liverpool, a fishing village in Nova Scotia. Carroll’s original story portrays many representations of mental illness, reflected and canonized in the Cheshire Cat’s famous statement: “We’re all mad here”. However, Carroll’s representations of mental illness are rarely portrayed as negative, which was a common perception within the medical establishment of Victorian England. In the Victorian era, there was deeply rooted discrimination against the mentally ill, even by those who themselves had been diagnosed or realized they could be diagnosed. Today, this continuing discrimination is labelled under the umbrella term “ableism” or, more specifically, “mental ableism.” Although positive representations of mental illness are more prevalent today, Carroll’s depiction of madness is rare for the Victorian era, as he presents the mad characters as neither fully good nor bad. Rather, he presents them as merely odd or rude, but also clever and funny. The central character of Cigartown, neurodivergent Ethel Hubbards, functions as a contemporary version of Alice, a critique of casual ableism in many Alice adaptations and in the real world, and an autobiographical depiction.</p
Effects of biochar and Rhizophagus irregularis on Malus domestica, variety Honeycrisp, in the presence of apple replant disease pathogens
No full textApple replant disease (ARD) inhibits the development of young apple trees, leading to tree death. Recent research has focused on biocontrol methods to combat ARD following the ban on chemical soil fumigants. This growth chamber experiment used Rhizophagus irregularis, a beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), as a bioinoculant and biochar, pyrolyzed biomass, as an amendment to reduce ARD symptoms on Honeycrisp (Malus domestica). Four pathogens isolated from apple rootstocks were also inoculated in certain treatments to determine their role in the ARD complex. After a six-week soil incubation with the presence/absence of biochar and pathogens in pasteurized and non-pasteurized soils, Honeycrisp seedlings previously inoculated with the presence/absence of AMF were potted in the incubated soils. Honeycrisp seedling growth increased with AMF inoculation and was significantly higher (p0.05) in pasteurized than non-pasteurized soils. Honeycrisp root colonization of AMF was greater (p0.05) in treatments with biochar and AMF present (80%) compared to other treatments. Phosphorus and potassium content in plants indicated a positive correlation (R>0.66) between AMF and plant growth, while in soils, phosphorous and potassium were negatively correlated (-0.48<R<-0.74) with those parameters. Adding pathogens slightly decreased (p>0.05) plant growth in pasteurized (control) and non-pasteurized (control); however, no negative effects were noted on plant growth for soils containing biochar and AMF. Long-term field trials must be considered to confirm these beneficial results. Overall, this controlled study shows promising results in helping farmers mitigate ARD symptoms in their first years after planting young apple trees by adding biochar amendment and an AMF inoculant.</p
Autofiction as feminist practice and the significance of art in how should a person be? and motherhood
No full textThis thesis examines two novels by the Canadian author Sheila Heti, How Should a Person Be? and Motherhood, through a feminist theoretical lens established in Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex, Monique Wittig’s essay “One Is Not Born a Woman,” and Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble. The thesis argues that in Heti’s novels art is important to a woman’s self-exploration. To be exact, the undefined conventions of the autofictional genre parallel the freedom one is given through the process of “making art,” which ultimately disrupts gendered ideals of womanhood and femininity.Chapter One establishes the theoretical framework for the discussion of genre and gender by detailing how the works of feminist theorists Beauvoir, Wittig, and Butler lend themselves to the gendered reception of life writing. Chapter Two examines Heti’s How Should a Person Be? and uses the theoretical argument in Chapter One to ground its argument that the process of “making art” is more suitable than “using art” and that the malleable form of autofiction enables self-discovery of femininity and art for both the fictional character Sheila and the author Heti. Finally, Chapter Three analyzes Motherhood, illuminating the significance Heti finds in actively engaging in artistic media that reinforce the creative process and support the expansion of the limits of pre-determined feminine identity.</p
Grab them by the rhetoric: oratorical techniques in the speeches of Cicero and Trump
No full textBoth Cicero and Donald Trump’s rhetoric have attracted the attention of many scholars. However, there is very little scholarship analyzing their respective oratorical styles in comparison to each other. This thesis aims to bridge the gap in scholarship by exploring common rhetorical techniques used by Cicero and Trump and evaluating how these techniques have contributed to their political successes. As orators from vastly different times, with Cicero being from the Late Roman Republic and Trump the modern era, the comparison between the two offers insight to the development of political oratory. This thesis is divided into two main sections: performance, which encompasses elements such as persona and rhetorical devices, and invective, which covers the strategies used by the orators to disparage their opponent’s reputation. These techniques are placed within the political context of the respective orator to evaluate their effectiveness and provide further analysis on why they are successful. This thesis examines the similarities between the rhetoric of Donald Trump and Cicero, highlighting their individual ability to take command of a room and manipulate the minds of their audience.</p
Early sport specialization experiences of USport female athletes
No full textEarly sport specialization (ESS) has become an incredibly popular discussion topic, with focus directed to the potential risks associated with playing only one sport early in one’s childhood. Despite notable shifts in the landscape of women’s sport, there are few ESS studies that are focused on female athletes, therefore creating a gap in the literature. The current study aims to explore the sport experiences of female varsity hockey, soccer, and basketball players with a specific focus on ESS. This mixed-methods, observational study had two phases. In the first phase participants (N = 24) recruited from women’s USport affiliated basketball, soccer, and hockey programs completed a researcher developed questionnaire examining ESS and the psychological concerns often associated with ESS. In phase two selected participants (N = 3) completed semi-structured interviews focused on the individual experiences of participants regarding their sports career. It was found that although the sample of USport athletes had high overall ESS (M = 4.29/5), and high psychological concerns (M = 3.66/5), there was no correlation between the two values (r = -0.24, p = 0.26). In phase two of the study, a variety of themes were identified. Notably, all participants noted feelings of pressure from themselves to perform well, a lack of concern about injury risk, and feelings of inequality as a female athlete. This study serves as a starting point for ESS research pertaining to female athletes specifically.</p
Just keep clicking: a correlational assessment of the effects of ship noise on sperm whale click counts in Baffin Bay
No full textOver a decade of research has revealed that ship noise can have adverse effects on cetaceans, including interfering with whale communication, foraging efforts, and socialization. However, there is a need for more research on cetacean-vessel interactions in Arctic ecosystems, as historically these areas have been acoustically pristine. Reduced sea ice coverage is resulting in a greater opportunity for shipping activity in the north, and it is allowing sub-Arctic species to extend their range. Thus, research is required on cetacean-vessel interactions in this changing habitat. This study, which is based in Baffin Bay, examines the number of sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, clicks using passive acoustic monitoring to assess their response to ship noise. Previous research has associated sperm whale clicking with foraging behaviour. As such, this acoustic marker can be used to assess behavioural disturbances. Acoustic data were collected using an autonomous glider equipped with a hydrophone. Ship passes were identified using Automatic Identification System (AIS) ship tracking data, and the number of sperm whale clicks occurring before, during, and after ship noise were manually counted. The number of clicks was modelled as a function of distance between the glider and ship as well as the time period (before, during, or after ship noise). The model predicted no significant difference in the three time periods, suggesting that sperm whales in this context do not decrease clicking in response to ship noise. It is possible that whales in Baffin Bay are attracted to the sound of fishing vessels, but more research is needed to describe these interactions. Overall, this study adds to knowledge of the effects of vessel noise on cetaceans in Canadian Arctic waters. This information may help inform future policies directed at managing cetacean populations with regard to fishing and shipping.</p
The role of somatosensory feedback in speech production
No full textSomatosensory feedback and auditory feedback have both been found to be important for speech production. Using a sensorimotor learning paradigm, 60 native English speakers’ speech was manipulated to produce a gradual adaptation in the production of vowel formants. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a silent waiting condition, and two conditions that involved the silent production of words. Participants’ de-adaptation was measured after this manipulation. It was predicted that those who produced words silently would have stronger de-adaptation, meaning they would return to their regular speech faster than those in the silent waiting condition. Contrary to the hypothesis, all conditions showed the same level of de-adaptation, which suggests that the production of silent speech had no effect. The lack of statistically significant difference between conditions could be explained by the experimental set-up or the training model used to elicit de-adaptation. Despite the lack of difference found between conditions, the current study provides further support for the idea that auditory feedback is used for accurate speech adaptation.Keywords: somatosensory feedback, speech production, sensorimotor learning, adaptation</p
The non-self as a predictor of psychosocial functioning
No full textThe present study investigated the non-self as a predictor of depression, anxiety, social, romantic, and family loneliness, and resilience after controlling for variance explained by recollected caregiver sensitivity in childhood and attachment styles in adulthood. The non-self reflects feelings of having no sense of self, feelings of absence of existence, invisibility, being empty and persistent loneliness. The non-self was assessed with a newly created measure that captures this profound state of being. The study consisted of 185 Canadian and American participants who all reported being in a current romantic relationship, and who responded to survey questions using MTurk. All individuals who participated in the current study were selected based on variables of interest from a larger study. The research explored a new construct of the sense of self, referred to as the non-self. The data were analysed using bootstrapped hierarchical multiple regressions. The non-self accounted for a significant amount of variance in the prediction of depression, anxiety, family loneliness, and resilience after controlling for caregiver sensitivity and attachment styles. Future research should include the non-self to further our understanding of various psychosocial variables and determine if there are clinical applications in the use of the measure.Keywords: non-self, caregiver sensitivity, depression, anxiety, loneliness, resilience, attachment styles</p
Characterizing movement patterns of lobster Homarus americanus within lobster fishing areas 33 and 34
No full textThis project aimed to characterize lobster migration in the context of two of the most financially significant fishing regions in Canada, Lobster Fishing Areas 33 and 34. The main objective was to elucidate the trends observed by local harvesters suggesting that lobster in these areas move to deeper, offshore waters in the winter, and migrate to shallower inshore waters in the summer. Quantification of this was done through a large-scale mark-recapture tagging project partnered with the Brazil Rock 33/34 Lobster Association and Southwest Lobster Science Society. Tagging was done both in and out of commercial lobster fishing season and using streamer tags. Recapture information was primarily provided by the local harvesters, during the fishing season, around Nova Scotia. Between both datasets, over 26,000 lobster were tagged and released from 2021 to 2024, with over 1,400 reported recaptures. Movement was quantified through metrics and changes in intensity, depth preference, and direction. Intensity of movement was compared between legal and undersized lobster, and between male and female lobster. It was found that female and larger lobster had significantly higher rates of movement in comparison to undersized or male lobster. Changes in depth was quantified through seasonal comparisons, between release and recapture seasons. A GLM was used to predict expected recapture depths, and, in turn, predict target depths of lobster for a given season. Direction of movement was standardized with respect to nearest bearing to shore, and then modelled to predict inshore versus offshore movement for a given time of year. These general findings indicated a trend that lobster moved into deeper, or offshore water in the winter. These findings align with the proposed ideas from the harvesters, and generally agree with other findings on American lobster in different geographic regions.</p
How does Wonder Woman Syndrome influence the occurrence and effect of burnout among university students before entering their profession?
No full textThis thesis explores the complex relationship between Wonder Woman Syndrome and the incidence and consequences of burnout among university students, particularly those pursuing a professional career. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the intricacies of work-related stress and its association with burnout in Acadia University’s Faculty of Professional Studies students. “How does Wonder Woman Syndrome influence the occurrence and effect of burnout among university students before entering their profession?”, was the main research topic that drove this study. In my survey, participants aged 17 to 27 represented the age range of students. They spanned from first to fifth year levels, providing comprehensive insights into their various stages of academic progress. Thirty-one participants identified as female, while the remaining nine identified as male or non-binary. The study’s findings on burnout show important trends among its subjects, including a high frequency of exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. Six individuals exhibited low exhaustion levels, eight displayed moderate levels, and twenty-six presented with high degrees of exhaustion. There were differences in the participants’ levels of depersonalization; nine were classified as low, fifteen as moderate, and sixteen as high. Furthermore, three individuals had high levels of personal achievement, six had moderate levels, and thirty-one had low levels. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that burnout levels were not substantially impacted by gender. The widespread problem of academic burnout that many students, including myself experience, greatly frustrates me, and this is the reason I conclude my analysis with an autoethnographic chapter. This research highlights academic burnout’s prevalence and urges structural reforms to support student wellbeing by addressing root causes like demanding course designs and excessive workloads.</p