Olivia Thompson

November 15, 2015

This is my proposal for GBT. Because of my long history of writing papers about this topic throughout basically my entire educational journey at RU, I am very proud of this. I have envisioned a culmination of my years of theorizing and thinking, and it is perfect that it comes right before I graduate!

December 15, 2015

This experiment was conducted on Long Evans rats in the RU psych rat lab. This class was interesting because through our in-class discussions, we got to help our professor shape the research we would be doing as a class. As my previous research can suggest, I am extremely interested in hormones, and sex differences, so experimenting with the rats was an exciting project for me. We didn't harm the rats in any way, and we were very diligent in our care-taking of the rats. This was the first experience that I was able to work in a lab setting, with subjects who were not human. This experience helped me gain a lot of new skills, and work with skills that I had just previously developed in my summer class. I was able to learn how to handle rats, and work in a quiet and careful setting. I was able to work with a team on important original research. But, the biggest experience I gained was analyzing the data, to tell the story you would like to tell. Originally we were not sure what kind of results we would get because we were experimenting on an original idea. There is not a lot of research on the differences between the old and young rats in behvaior, suprisingly. We spent the semester doing extensive literature review to learn the ins and outs of hormones in aged rats and hormones in young rats, exploration habits, mating strategies, and evolutionary factors. This course taught me the importance of fully doing your research before writing an empirical study. The research we produced could be published and utilized for further scientific knowledge. I really love research, and experimenting, and the feeling of providing the scientific community with more literature to take into account while they experiment.

July 31, 2015

This paper was for a psychology research class. It was the first summer class I ever had to take. It was so challenging because of the time constraint, and having to create original research, survey, collect data, and then write a paper about the results in APA format. After 5 weeks of hours of homework per night, I was so thrilled with all that I had accomplished. I really enjoy this type of empirical research. While, I love writing theoretical papers, I really enjoyed actually testing my own theories with subjects. This paper discusses if there can be any correlation to between personality (THE BIG 5 OCEAN), and stress coping strategies, and perception of stress. This class prepared me for the fall research lab. Upon reaching my research lab in the fall, I felt like I could finally feel the cumulative psych classes, being called upon. While I have learned so much in so many different classes. And I love trying to relate them together, I really feel like I have reached a higher education, when my knowledge and mastery of a subject is a pre-requisite to suceed in these upper level classes. The challenge of the classes, actually makes me much more interested in striving to grasp the material.

April 27, 2015

This theory application paper further defines my focus in relation to gender and sexed bodies, by further examining the implication of technology and social structure on sex. At this point, of course I had realized how many different papers I have written about the topic. This semester, writing this paper I was able to work not only with my theory professor, but also my sociology of gender professor to create this paper. Because of writing this paper, I was asked by one of my professors, if I'd be interested in writing more original research to present at the Gender, Bodies, and Technology conference in April 2016. My proposal was accepted and my research will be presented at GBT 2016. I also received the Sociology Department award after this paper of "Most Theoretical". This was truly a great honor and accomplishment for me. It is an amazing feeling to see my years of focus pay off. The proposal for GBT 2016 is also available.

May 05, 2014

This paper exemplifies application of knowledge and civic mindedness. This paper looks at Robert Rank's "Structural Vulnerability Perspective" and how it can be applied to my surrounding community, of the New River Valley. This perspective helped me to understand where blame is placed and how a shift in thinking needs to be addressed in order to find real world solutions to poverty in my community. The idea of shifting the blame from individual failings to structural failings is an idea that would trace throughout the rest of my education, once I learned about it. The notion that being impoverished, or disabled for example, is unconsciously blamed on the individual, places an obstacle on program development and personal self-worth. Impoverished individuals are often times stuck in a cyclic and perpetual structure that disables them from climbing out of their poor life conditions. Besides the structural nature of poverty, depression and self-blame will inhibit individuals and lend toward hopelessness. When a large population is impoverished, it is important to address the structure of society at a national level. While it is much easier said, than done, it becomes a challenge to start figuring out solutions that could be implemented at a community level, with the help of dedicated citizens. The challenge in this type of thinking relies on creativity and motivation by change-makers and community-helpers. My courses in sociology always encouraged me to think outside of the box, which came in handy when trying create the SCI student organization, and encourage other students to see the importance of envisioning solutions to problems.

December 11, 2013

My research team under the advisment and direction of Dr. Melinda Wagner, helped to shed light on factors that lead to community resiliency in Floyd County, Virginia. This project utilized 922 minutes of qualitative interviews. The findings were presented at the ASA (Appalachian Studies Association) Annual Conference in 2013. To read the final report please read more below.

November 21, 2013

This is a creative paper that applies the concepts of empiricism and rationalism to The Matrix. These philosophical perspectives influence a person's ethical belief system. I included this paper, because it exemplifies the truest form of the sociological imagination. Although it was an assignment in a psych class, it can certainly be viewed as an interdisciplinary text. It goes without saying, that this assignment was so enjoyable to complete. I love viewing a text under a certain theme. Practicing this type of theme writing, helped me to develop my skills for thinking outside the box. Much of my current world view was achieved through philosophy 101. This film brought me right back to the ideas I realized during philosophy class. It was philosophy class that unwraveled the matrix (so to speak) for me. And once I saw this film, I couldn't believe how similar it was to my own world view. My very first paper in college was about how facebook was creating false identities for it's users and disconnecting them from reality. This was my first realization of technology's implication. Eventually I started to see how technology creates a structure around our lives, and has institutionalized itself in our lives. I didn't have the terminology that I have now to explain this structure (until I began taking sociology classes), but it was a feeling that was growing inside me. Finally I found philosophy, and sociology to put words to what was once only feelings that were difficult to describe.

March 18, 2013

A textual analysis. Please find videos in reference section.

December 09, 2012

The concept of this paper helped me to realize that gender was a socialized concept. I had realized this year (2012) that socialized ideas pervade the media, but I had not yet realized that gender and sex were disconnected, and that gender was a concept. Through this point in my educational journey, I had not yet picked up my sociology degree, so much of my ideology was based on psychological and medical principles. It frustrated me that I was in a major that was very quick to diagnose. I realized quickly through my classes that psychological diagnosis and perception was an evolution. I began to learn how certain concepts, such as homosexuality, are stigmatized in society because they were at one point in history, actually recognized as a disorder. Intersexuality's nomenclature was officially changed to "Disorders of sex development" and instantly stigmatized intersex humans. Medical and psychological categorizing have a huge impact on society's perceptions towards a certain concept. It is important for people to realize that often times they are not aware of the root of their bias. Realizing this inspired me to challenge opinions towards DSD individuals, by showing the possibility of infinite gender, and a multitude of sexes that are deemed "abnormal". It is my hopes that future generations will view intersexual people, in the same light they are beginning to understand homosexual people. Awareness is the first step, and eventually tolerance can work. Hopefully one day, it will be accepted and understood that some people would like to remain outside of the polarity of sex, or somewhere in the middle.

October 18, 2012

This is a critical analysis of differing perspectives on the above topic. This topic was analyzed through "Taking Sides", the Ethical Textbook that we used in a core class my sophomore year. This course taught me that different perspectives and values held by people based on their inherent or internal ethical bias. Before this class, I had never thought about WHY I make decisions the way I do. I never thought about the fact that everyone has a different ethical guide that has been so heavily cited in philosophy and ethics. After learning the ability to make decisions based off of my own beliefs, and understand why others were making decisions, I was able to begin looking at "autonomy" and "perspective" in a different light.

April 20, 2012

This is a critical analysis of the media's influence of psychological repression of homosexual women. Written in my sophomore year at Radford University. This paper was the advent of my sociological and psychological interests in sex and gender. My research expanding further down this path after this paper. Nominated for the 2012 Winnsett Award for Library Research. The nomination encouraged me and helped me to believe in my academic abilities, although I did not win the award. Although this paper is not the pinnacle of my ability, it was a base from which I have truly grown. I had not yet picked up my minor in Women's Studies, or my Sociology degree, when I wrote this paper. But, I believe this paper encouraged me to think sociologically and deepened my interest in the intersection between sociology and psychology.