Ithaca College

Wolfe, Shannon

Zumbrun, Melissa

Lighthall, Emily

Leventhal, Daniella

Lanzafame, Samantha

Kirchgessner, Julia

Sullum, Talia

Roberts, Madison

Matrone, Emily

Outdoor Play for Children with Ambulatory Disabilities: A Scoping Review

Chin, Jacquelyn

Kardos, Melanie

Morgan, Matthew

Énouement

Perini, Cayla

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and its effects on life on Earth have 
increasingly interested scientists (McKenzie et al. 2009). Climate change is causing a 
global increase in air temperature and causing precipitation patterns to change, ultimately 
creating consequences for UVR exposure in aquatic organisms (Häder et al 2015). As the 
climate warms, temperature differences between surface waters and deeper waters 
increases and as a result surface conditions become shallower (Häder et al 2015). This 
leads to increased exposure to UVR, which can have debilitating impacts on aquatic 
organisms (Williamson and Rose 2010).  It can damage DNA, lead to reproductive 
failures, and even leave an organism less resistant to disease (Williamson and Rose 
2010). Although the effects of UVR on Daphnia have been studied frequently, 
researchers typically expose the Daphnia to UVR in later life and observe the effects on 
survival. In this study however, we exposed an experimental group of Daphnia to an 
environmentally standard dosage of UVR for their entire life and then we analyzed the 
effects on their life history and pigmentation were analyzed and compared to control 
(unexposed) Daphnia. We asked, how does ultraviolet radiation exposure during juvenile 
development affect Daphnia life history and pigmentation? We were also interested in 
interspecies differences in UVR exposure response: Are Daphnia originally from a low 
UVR environment more sensitive to changes in life history and changes in pigmentation? 
We isolated Daphnia from four genotypes (two pigmented and two unpigmented) to 
begin our first generation. We waited until the second generation of Daphnia, then we 
isolated each individual neonate in their own 60 mL jar. We filled these jars with 55mL 
of FLAMES to raise neonates. (Celis-Salgado et al. 2008). We fed these neonates three 
times a week .5 mL of Cryptomonas ozolini. We checked each individual every day. We 
began by looking at the date and size of maturity of neonates. We then used a 
stereomicroscope to view eggs and to photograph pigmentation after the birth of each 
clutch of offsrping. We also counted the number of neonates in each clutch.  
Using this experimental design, we asked whether age or size at maturity were 
affected by UVR exposure throughout development in Daphnia. We also asked whether 
offspring production or melanin pigmentation was affected by UVR exposure during 
development. Answers to these questions will be available after we complete our data 
collection at the end of March 2022. 
 
 
Rose KC, Williamson CE, Fischer JM, Connelly SJ, Olson M, Tucker AJ, Noe DA. 2012. 
The role of ultraviolet radiation and fish in regulating the vertical distribution of Daphnia. 
Limnology and Oceanography. 57(6):1867–1876. 
 
Häder D-P, Williamson CE, Wängberg S-Å, Rautio M, Rose KC, Gao K, Helbling EW, 
Sinha RP, Worrest R. 2015. Effects of UV radiation on aquatic ecosystems and interactions with 
other environmental factors. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences. 14(1):108–126. 
 
McKenzie RL, Liley JB, Björn LO. 2009. UV Radiation: Balancing Risks and Benefits†. 
Photochemistry and Photobiology. 85(1):88–98. 
Celis-Salgado, M. P., A. Cairns, N. Kim, and N. D. Yan. 2008. The FLAMES medium: a 
new, soft-water culture and bioassay medium for Cladocera. Verhandlungen der Internationalen 
Vereinigung fur Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 30:265–271. 
 
 
 


English

Chronic UV Exposure Effects on Daphnia

Greer, Jade

Abstract: 
“Enjoy It: An Analysis of Hegel’s Master/Slave Dialectic” aims to provide a novel 
insight into an infamous school of thought: the master/slave dialectic. Here, it is important to 
note the racial and historical connotations of the following terms: “master” and “slave.” Though 
these connotations reference such a dark and insidious time of our history in the United States as 
well as throughout the world, steering away from the use of these terms would be incongruent 
with the current framework of the school of dialectics. This text broadly uses these terms as 
abstractions from their historical meaning to maintain consistency with similar works in its field.   
While several analyses exist regarding this relationship, they are unable to provide any 
comfort for the majority of the world, the slave. Hegel’s interpretation and claims find that the 
slave is, not only responsible for their enslavement but, in a position better than, greater than 
their counterpart despite their blatant oppression. Using his notion of recognition as the basis for 
their analyses, many of his contemporaries agree and claim that the slave, redeemed by their 
creation of consciousness, is as such. Regardless of whether or not this claim is true, this 
argument is simply uncomfortable and evokes such a negative and visceral reaction. How can 
one be in a better position as a result of their suffering? Aimed to alleviate these concerns, this 
text focuses on the possible consequences, even benefits, of holding a slave position and/or 
participating in a system that knowingly oppresses you.  
Founded in Hegel’s and his contemporaries’ work and analyses, this text considers 
modern interpretations of dialectics and the relationship between master and slave. With the 
feedback of a previous version of this text from Naeem Inayatullah and extensive research done 
on the logic and history of relationships of domination as well as Hegel and his contemporaries 
and opponents, namely Ann Cudd, Jessica Benjamin, Leslie Chang, Sue Easton, Trevor Burnard 
and Ashis Nandy, a relationship between the history of relationships of domination and its logic 
is able to be formed and critiqued. Understanding the pattern of relationships of domination and 
how these relationships translate into various interpersonal relationships is central to this text and 
allows Hegel’s previous works to adopt a contemporary context. 
This text finds that, though the position of a slave, whether it defines you as a woman, a 
POC, an employee, etc, is one that is inherently oppressed, those in such a position can and 
should recognize the benefits it provides them. Ambition and the achievement of a greater status 
is remarkable, yes, but it is unhealthy to constantly live within this tension. We must recognize 
the happiness that resides in our oppression, our freedom in our enslavement. It is who we are 
and it is how we came to be. Examining both the structural and the psychoanalytic basis in which 
oppression takes place, this text presents the notion that the slave, here defined by their relation 
to a master, can and should be able to recognize the benefits enslavement allots them.  
Contrary to existing works in the school of dialectics, this text assumes a Lacanian 
approach to the relationship between master and slave. While much research has been done 
regarding how to overcome oppression, such as Karl Marx’s “The Communist Manifesto,” 
“Enjoy It: An Analysis of Hegel’s Master/Slave Dialectic” does not seek to hold a revolution or 
to invert the current socioeconomic structure. Rather, it aims to create a revolution of 
perspective.  
 
 
 
 
 
Bibliography 
Ann E. Cudd, “Is Capitalism Good for Women?,” J Bus Ethics 127, pp 761-770, (2015). 
Ashis Nandy, The Intimate Enemy: Loss and Recovery of Self Under Colonialism, Oxford
 University Press, 1989. 
Georg Willheim Friedrich Hegel, “Love” in Early Theological Writings. Translated by T. M. 
 Knox and Richard Kroner. University of Pennsylvania Press (1971). 
Jessica Benjamin, The Bonds of Love: Psychoanalysis, Feminism, and the Problem of  
 Domination. Pantheon (1988). 
Leslie T. Chang, Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China. Random House 
 (2009). 
“Objectify Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam
 -webster.com/dictionary/objectify.  
Sue Easton, “Hegel and Feminism,” in Hegel and Modern Philosophy. Routledge (1987). 
Trevor Burnard, Mastery, Tyranny, and Desire: Thomas Thistlewood and His Slaves in the 
 Anglo-Jamaican World, The University of North Carolina Press (2004). 
 


Enjoy It: An Analysis of Hegel\u27s Master/Slave Dialectic

Horwedel, Quincy

Quincy Horwedel
Whalen Abstract
This paper analyzes Rudolf Carnap’s criticism of the Special Composition
Question – primarily considering whether or not the question is even worth asking. The
Special Composition Question asks under what circumstances do two objects compose
some further, composite object. But this question has numerous issues, making it an
unanswerable question. Carnap posits that the primary issue with the question is that it
is not in agreement with the linguistic framework that is universally used to
communicate. So, Carnap proposes a new version of the question in an effort to solve
linguistic issues with the SCQ. This new SCQ asks if the linguistic framework that is
widely adopted is the framework that should be adopted. While Carnap’s new SCQ
solves the linguistic issues, it falls short of solving the other issues with the SCQ that
prevent it from having a true answer. Carnap states that, because no linguistic
framework can be reasonably better than any other, the new SCQ is just as
unanswerable as the first. Thus, Carnap’s SCQ is as trivial of a question as the first
SCQ. Carnap’s SCQ fails in two major ways. One is that his new question fails to
address the spirit of the original: what is the nature of reality? While Carnap’s question
is, semantically, better, it does not manage to get to the core of why the question is
necessary in the first place. The second failing is one that this new question shares with
the original: these questions do not to address that neither will allow for insight to be
gained into the nature of objects.


The Issues With The Special Composition Question

Boland, Rebecca

Donahue, Caitlin

Jones, Tywanda

Kalaitzidis, Diana

Kim, Shane Min Ho

McDade, Makenna

Caccamise, Charlotte

Combined Influence of Stress and Concussion on Adolescent Behavior and Stress Physiology

Meldrim, Carol Ann

Childhood trauma is a common event with up to 33% of the population reporting
emotional abuse and 22% reporting sexual abuse (Zhang, et al., 2020). Findings from a recent
meta analysis show that those with a history of childhood abuse are at higher risk for adulthood
depression (Nelson et al., 2017). Furthermore, a history of childhood trauma has been associated
with a higher risk of anxiety in adults (Hovens et al., 2010). A second meta analysis, found a
robust relationship between childhood abuse and adult depression (Zhang, et al., 2020).
Childhood abuse and neglect comes in many forms. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire
(CTQ) includes five subscales; physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional abuse, emotional
neglect, and sexual abuse. Some forms are more reliably associated with adult depression. In one
study, the most predictive factor for adult depression was found to be emotional abuse (Mandelli,
et al., 2015).
Not all of those who experience abuse and neglect report adult depression. A body of
research identified social support as one of the moderating variables in the relationship between
childhood abuse and adult depression. Cohen and Wills (1985) found social support to act as a
buffering effect for childhood trauma and adult depression.
The goal of this paper was to assess the relationship between childhood trauma and adult
depression and the moderating role of social support from friends in a college population. Social
support from friends was selected as the buffer variable as social support from family may
operate differently since family may be the source of childhood trauma.
We hypothesized that higher scores on the CTQ would predict higher depression scores
on the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale and the Zung Self-Rated Anxiety Scale. In addition,
we hypothesized that emotional abuse would be the most predictive of adult depression and
anxiety. Finally, we hypothesized that the relationship between childhood abuse and neglect, and
adult depression and anxiety, would be moderated by social support from friends.
A sample of 340 students enrolled at a liberal arts college in the northeast of the U.S.
completed this study. Participants completed an anonymous, IRB  approved, online survey using
Qualtrics. The students received extra credit in psychology courses in exchange for participation.
Of all the participants, 78.8% identified as female, 13.2%  identified as male, nine students
identified as transgender (2.6 %). Of all the students, 72.9% identified as White, 10.3% as Black,
9.4% as Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% Asian, 0.6% as American Indian or Alaskan Native, 0.9% as
Middle Eastern, and 1.2% as Pacific Islander, with 1.5% as Other. Participants completed the
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Zung Self-Rated Anxiety Scale, the Zung Self-Rating
Depression Scale, and the friends subscale from the Perceived Social Support Scale.
There was a positive correlation between CTQ scores and anxiety scores, r(289) = .35, p
= .001. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between CTQ scores and anxiety scores,
r(289) = .35, p = .001. As predicted, emotional abuse had the greatest positive correlation with
depression, r(288) = .35, p = .001, followed by emotional neglect, (r(288) = .33, p= .001).
Results show that perceived social support from friends moderated the relationship
between the CTQ and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, (B = -.484, t = -4.626, p = .03),
though not in the way expected. No buffering effect of anxiety was observed.
In the current study, most hypotheses were confirmed. Childhood abuse and neglect was
predictive of adult depression and anxiety in a non-clinical population. Of different forms of
abuse, emotional abuse was the most predictive of adult depression and anxiety. Emotional abuse
may have direct long lasting impacts on self esteem in ways that other forms of abuse do not.
Self-esteem plays a critical role in the onset of depression and anxiety. A buffering effect was
found but not of the kind predicted. The relationship between depression and trauma was
strongest among those with high social support. This may be due to the highest levels of
depression activating social support resources and concern from friends. There was no evidence
of a buffering effect for social support from friends on anxiety.
References
Cohen, S., Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis.
Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310–357. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.98.2.310
Hovens, J. G. F. M., Wiersma, J. E., Giltay, E. J., van Oppen, P., Spinhoven, P., Penninx, B. W. J.
H., & Zitman, F. G. (2010). Childhood life events and childhood trauma in adult patients
with depressive, anxiety and comorbid disorders vs. controls. Acta Psychiatrica
Scandinavica, 122(1), 66-74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2009.01491.x
Mandelli, L., Petrelli, C., & Serretti, A. (2015). The role of specific early trauma in adult
depression: A meta-analysis of published literature. Childhood trauma and adult
depression. European Psychiatry, 30(6), 665–680.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2015.04.007
Nelson, J., Klumparendt, A., Doebler, P., & Ehring, T. (2017). Childhood maltreatment and
characteristics of adult depression: Meta-analysis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 210(2),
96–104. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.115.180752
Zhang, S., Lin, X., Yang, T., Zhang, S., Pan, Y., Lu, J., & Liu, J. (2020). Prevalence of childhood
trauma among adults with affective disorder using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire:
A meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 276, 546-554.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.001


Childhood Trauma, Adult Depression and Anxiety, Moderated by Social Support From Friends

Tice, Julia

Konatsotis, Jayne

Ibarra, Vanessa

Knapp, Sarah

Chun, David

Schroeder, Abby

Feeley, Emma

Newkirk, Meaghan

Olsen, Riley

Farrar, Mackenzie

Title: Relationships between regulatory focus and psychological need satisfaction on 
Thanksgiving 2020 
 
Type of presentation: poster 
 
Authors: Julia Tice, Jayne Konatsotis, Anna Loyko, Vanessa Ibarra, Sarah Knapp, David Chun, 
Abby Schroeder, Emma Feeley, Meaghan Newkirk, Riley Olsen, Mackenzie Farrar, Nick 
Guarino, Gavin Ruddy, and Leigh Ann Vaughn 
 
(497 words in the body of the abstract) 
 
Introduction 
Thanksgiving 2020 had the potential to offer welcome respite from months of social distancing 
and stay-at-home orders because of COVID-19. Some of the most important ways events like 
Thanksgiving can be satisfying pertain to basic psychological needs. According to self-
determination theory (e.g., Ryan et al., 2021), these needs are autonomy (really wanting to do 
something), competence (feeling effective) and relatedness (feeling close and connected to 
others). People’s motives can influence how much need satisfaction they experience, and two 
important motives for responding to COVID-19 are to be safe and to grow (Vaughn, Garvey, & 
Chalachan, 2020). Promotion regulatory focus serves the motive for growth, whereas prevention 
regulatory focus serves the motive for security (e.g., Scholer et al., 2021). We expected similar 
relationships between regulatory focus and satisfaction of needs for autonomy, competence, and 
relatedness on Thanksgiving 2020 as in earlier research (e.g., Vaughn, 2017; Vaughn, Burkins, 
& Judd, 2020).  
 
Method 
The 404 American participants in this study were at least 18 years old. We recruited them 
through Prolific Academic. They all participated on the day after Thanksgiving, 2020.  
 
Participants answered questions about their promotion and prevention focus on Thanksgiving. 
The six promotion items included, “I was excited,” and “I avoided missing out on anything 
good” (Cronbach’s alpha = .87). The four caution/self-control items included, “I was careful,” 
and “I exerted self-control” (Cronbach’s alpha = .72). The two duties items included, “I did what 
was expected of me” (Cronbach’s alpha = .69). 
 
Additionally, participants answered questions about their need satisfaction on Thanksgiving 
using the Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs (Sheldon & Hilpert, 2012). This 
questionnaire contains three six-item measures of support for autonomy, competence, and 
relatedness (Cronbach’s alphas = .81, .65, and .82, respectively). 
 
Results 
We ran three multiple regression analyses with promotion, duties, and caution/self-control as the 
predictors. With autonomy satisfaction as the dependent variable, promotion (β = .64, p < .001) 
and duties (β = -.19, p < .001) were significant predictors, but caution/self-control (β = -.01, p = 
.785) was not. With competence satisfaction as the dependent variable, promotion (β = .47, p < 
.001) and duties (β = .22, p < .001) were significant predictors, but caution/self-control (β = .08, 
p = .053) was not. With relatedness satisfaction as the dependent variable, promotion (β = .66, p 
< .001) and duties (β = .09, p = .033) were significant predictors, but caution/self-control (β = -
.04, p = .270) was not.      
 
Discussion 
Focusing on promoting growth was satisfying for people on Thanksgiving, especially regarding 
needs for autonomy and relatedness. The duties and caution/self-control aspects of prevention 
focus related less strongly and consistently to need satisfaction. 
 
This was a cross-sectional correlational study, and it did not have a representative sample of 
Americans. Thus, we cannot infer what caused the patterns of results and we cannot infer that the 
current findings reflect what all Americans believed at the time. Future research could have a 
representative sample of Americans, who might be tracked longitudinally across multiple 
holidays. 
 
References: 
Scholer, A. A., Cornwell, J. F. M., & Higgins, E. T. (2019). Regulatory focus theory and  
research: Catching up and looking forward after 20 years. In R. M. Ryan (Ed.) The 
Oxford handbook of human motivation (2nd ed., pp. 1-35). Oxford University Press, New 
York, NY, USA. 
Sheldon, K. M., & Hilpert, J. C. (2012). The balanced measure of psychological needs (BMPN)  
scale: An alternative domain general measure of need satisfaction. Motivation and 
Emotion, 36(4), 439-451. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-012-9279-4 
Vaughn, L. A. (2017). Foundational tests of the need-support model: A framework for bridging  
regulatory focus theory and self-determination theory. Personality and Social Psychology 
Bulletin, 43, 313-328. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167216684132 
Vaughn, L., Burkins, P., & Judd, J. (2020, July 28). Exploration and self-control: Differences in  
regulatory focus and need support. Retrieved from www.psyarxiv.com/xamdu 
Vaughn, L. A., Burkins, P. G., Chalachan, R. D., Judd, J. K., Garvey, C. A., & Luginsland, J. W. 
(2021). Feeling socially connected and focusing on growth: Relationships with well-
being during a major holiday in the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 3567. 
https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.710491 
Vaughn, L. A., Garvey, C. A., & Chalachan, R. D. (2020). Need support and regulatory focus in 
responding to COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology, 11(589446), 1-13. 
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.589446 
 


Relationships Between Regulatory Focus And Psychological Need Satisfaction On Thanksgiving 2020

Guarino, Nick

Title: How regulatory focus in April 2021 related to expectations about that summer  
 
Type of presentation: poster 
 
Authors: Meaghan Newkirk, David Chun, Sarah Knapp, Abby Schroeder, Jayne Konatsotis, 
Riley Olsen, Julia Tice, Anna Loyko, Vanessa Ibarra, Emma Feeley, Nick Guarino, Mackenzie 
Farrar, Gavin Ruddy, and Leigh Ann Vaughn 
 
(439 words in the body of the abstract) 
 
Introduction 
On April 6, 2021, how did motivations for growth and security relate to participants’ 
expectations about what they would do that summer? Promotion focus is a motivational 
orientation that serves the need for growth and excels at exploration, whereas prevention focus is 
a motivational orientation that serves the need for security and excels at commitment (e.g., 
Scholer et al., 2019; Vaughn, 2017; Vaughn et al., 2020). We predicted that, in April of 2021, 
promotion focus would relate positively to expecting to do different leisure activities outside the 
home in the summer, and prevention focus would relate positively to expecting to keep doing the 
same things to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  
 
Method 
The 134 American participants were at least 18 years old. They participated via Prolific 
Academic on April 6, 2021.  
 
The first questions were about their state promotion and prevention focus (Godollei & Beck, 
2021), such as “Right now, I am focused on my hopes.” Cronbach’s alphas for promotion and 
prevention scales were .93 and .77, respectively.  
 
Participants also answered questions about their likelihood of engaging in various activities in 
the summer of 2021. The “same things” dependent variable included three activities many people 
had been doing during the pandemic such as, “socially distancing from strangers” (Cronbach’s 
alpha = .80). The “different things” dependent variable included five activities outside the home 
such as “travel outside your local area” (Cronbach’s alpha = .78).   
 
Results 
We ran multiple regressions to assess relationships between regulatory focus and same activities 
and between regulatory focus and different activities. The first multiple regression analysis 
showed that state prevention focus related significantly to expecting to do same activities, β = 
.29, p = .003, but state promotion focus did not, β = -.07, p = .462. The second multiple 
regression analysis showed that state promotion focus related significantly to expecting to do 
different activities, β = .37, p < .001, but state prevention focus did not, β = -.12, p = .190.  
 
Discussion 
In April 2021, participants’ prevention focus, which serves the need for security and excels at 
commitment (Scholer et al., 2019), related more strongly than promotion focus to expecting to 
continue to do these same activities. Promotion focus, which serves the need for growth and 
excels at exploration (Scholer et al., 2019) related more strongly than prevention focus to 
expecting to do different activities outside their home.  
 
Limitations of this study are that it cross-sectional and it did not have a representative sample of 
Americans. Future research either could be experimental (randomly assigning participants to a 
promotion versus prevention condition), or have a representative sample of Americans, who 
might be tracked longitudinally. 
 
References: 
Gödöllei, A. F., & Beck, J. W. (2020) Development and validation of the State Regulatory Focus 
Scale. Human Performance, 33(2-3), 104-129, 
https://doi.org/10.1080/08959285.2019.1710513 
Scholer, A. A., Cornwell, J. F. M., & Higgins, E. T. (2019). Regulatory focus theory and  
research: Catching up and looking forward after 20 years. In R. M. Ryan (Ed.) The 
Oxford handbook of human motivation (2nd ed., pp. 1-35). Oxford University Press, New 
York, NY, USA. 
Vaughn, L. A. (2017). Foundational tests of the need-support model: A framework for bridging  
regulatory focus theory and self-determination theory. Personality and Social Psychology 
Bulletin, 43, 313-328. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167216684132 
Vaughn, L. A., Garvey, C. A., & Chalachan, R. D. (2020). Need support and regulatory focus in 
responding to COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology, 11(589446), 1-13. 
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.589446 
 


How Regulatory Focus In April 2021 Related To Expectations About That Summer

Greenway, Lucas

The Effects of Inflation and Federal Reserve Policy on the Construction Industry
During Covid-19
Abstract
Covid-19 has caused many economic disruptions, one of the largest being that of
unusually high inflation. Part of the Federal Reserve's dual mandate, inflation is one of the key
economic factors that the Federal Reserve enacts monetary policy to affect. These policies are on
the forefront of economic discussion and debate about what should be done to curtail this
unusually high inflation. This presentation looks into the construction industry to see if economic
policy would be beneficial or even effective at leveling out inflation. The construction industry,
one of the largest sectors in the United States, is in a unique economic position of being highly
affected by inflation and economic policy in tandem. This is due to use of commodities, energy,
labor, and expensive equipment that is bought on credit. Many construction projects themselves
are also bought on credit, making not only the supply side of construction more elastic to
inflation, but the demand side as well. All these factors combine to make the construction
industry a microcosm for the United States economy. The significance of this presentation is due
to the current talks of raising interest rates by the Federal Reserve. If the Federal Reserve raises
interest rates and the rate of inflation does not decrease, stagflation could occur. Also if the
demand for new construction projects is not curtailed, the new higher price of both residential
and industrial construction projects will be pushed onto the customer, putting even more upward
pressure on the Consumer Price Index. The predicted outcome of these effects comes from
econometric and historical analysis. The econometric techniques used are regression analysis of
publicly traded construction companies. This analysis is of their new cost due to inflation and
predicting what their new revenue would be and then comparing this to the actual revenue of
these companies. This is done to see if the elevated prices companies are charging are completely
explained by increasing cost, or if there are other factors at play. The historical analysis used is
looking back on past times of inflation and when the Federal Reserve enacted monetary policy.
This is done to see if historically monetary policy has helped and stabilized the construction
industry, or hurt and destabilized it further. To display these findings a PowerPoint presentation
will be used. It will be similar in structure to my Senior Thesis itself, with each section becoming
a slide or multiple slides. Many slides will be graphs and charts to be used as visual aids to the
talking points which I will be making. The presentation will conclude with what policies will be
recommended or will not be recommended in regards to the findings of the historical and
econometric analysis. If no clear conclusion can be found, the presentation will end with a
critique of itself about what could have been done better or differently to potentially achieve
desired results. While my presentation will most likely not affect the decisions of the Federal
reserve, the information could be very valuable in better dealing with the consequences of their
decisions.
References
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, February 10). Consumer price index summary - 2022
M01 results. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
Cavallo, A. (2020). Inflation with Covid consumption baskets. National Bureau of Economic
Research. https://doi.org/10.3386/w27352
Weinstock, L. R. (2021, November). The post-pandemic labor market and rising inflation.
Retrieved from https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN11711
Candia, B., Coibion, O., & Gorodnichenko, Y. (2021). The inflation expectations of U.S. firms:
Evidence from a new survey. NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH.
https://doi.org/10.3386/w28836
Musarat, M. A., Alaloul, W. S., & Liew, M. S. (2021). Impact of inflation rate on Construction
Projects Budget: A Review. Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 12(1), 407–414.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2020.04.009
Works, R. (2021, April). Consumer inflation during the COVID-19 pandemic . U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics. Retrieved from
https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2021/beyond-bls/consumer-inflation-during-the-covid-19-pa
ndemic.htm
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, March 10). Consumer price index summary - 2022 M02
results. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm


The Effects of Inflation and Federal Reserve Policy the Construction Industry During Covid-19