Effect of Feedback on Cognitive Control in Athletes and Non-athletes

The push to address and prioritize the mental health of college students has grown tremendously in recent years. Specifically, there has been a unique focus on collegiate student athletes due to the increase in the number of suicides (Whelan, B.M., 2024). Athletes may differ from non-athletes in their ability to overcome negative events since they are constantly exposed to feedback, whether that is positive or negative. This experiment investigated the ability of athletes and non-athletes to control their behavior in response to negative or positive feedback. An anti-saccade task, where people look away from a suddenly appearing object, was employed. 16 participants (9 athletes and 7 non-athletes) completed 602 trials divided into blocks of baseline, training and testing. Following negative feedback, athletes and non-athletes both showed diminished cognitive control by looking away slower. Likewise, following a stimulus that was associated with negative feedback, athletes and non-athletes both looked away slower, again showing diminished cognitive control. However, following 2 consecutive trials of negative feedback, athletes showed improved cognitive control by looking away faster while non-athletes did not. Athletes demonstrated a unique response to more negative feedback than non-athletes, suggesting more resiliency

The Making of Modern Pop Genre

The music industry saw great upheaval in the early 20th century, as it transitioned from a business based on the marketing and sale of sheet music, to one based on radio play and home record players. It was in this context that new genres of popular music were first recorded and made popular, such as country, blues, and jazz music. This thesis analyzes the work of record executives and artists who broadened the scope of recorded popular music and set its parameters, as well. During these early recordings, many of the genre distinctions that we know today were set in place. Through an analysis of these events, it can be shown that much of the framework through which we understand music today was established almost a century ago

Youth Interest in Reusable Menstrual Hygiene Products: An Opportunity for Improving Menstruation Management

Adolescents experience inconsistent menstrual hygiene material access that is exacerbated by poverty and results in menstruation management difficulty, health risks, and interruptions to school attendance. The study centered the adolescent menstruation management experience through qualitative interviews to identify management difficulties and to assess knowledge, interest, and perceived feasibility of implementing reusable menstrual hygiene materials such as reusable sanitary pads, and period underwear, menstrual cups, and menstrual disks to improve both menstrual hygiene access and menstrual management experiences. Inductive and deductive coding was used to analyze interview data and identify key themes. Adolescents expressed interest in reusable menstrual hygiene materials due to the perception that they would solve challenges other hygiene products could not and because they were curious about alternative management methods, demonstrating opportunity for positive uptake of reusable hygiene materials as a more consistent and less environmentally damaging menstrual hygiene solution to period poverty

The Pressing Necessity for Maternal Healthcare Reform in the US

This Op-Ed discusses the impact of the historical legacy of slavery and anti-Black discrimination on inequities in modern Black female maternal health and pre and post natal care.https://crossworks.holycross.edu/pols_oped/1000/thumbnail.jp

Streaming’s Sonic Revolution — The Impact of Streaming Services on the Music Industry: Evidence from Spotify

In an era marked by the transition from physical to digital music consumption, this paper explores the disruptive influence of streaming platforms, focusing particularly on the emergence of Spotify as an industry pioneer and leader. Through a difference-in-differences regression model spanning from November 2015 to March 2020, this study investigates Spotify’s impact on the stock prices of various companies within the music industry. Utilizing a subset of the Global Music Index (GMI), composed of 20 publicly traded companies across seven countries, the research analyzes how Spotify’s milestones, including its launch in 2008 and April 2018 IPO, influenced the valuation of music labels, radio corporations, live event companies, and more. The findings reveal nuanced effects on different sectors of the music industry. Based on the regression analysis, it can be concluded that neither the IPO’s announcement nor the official date had statistically significant impacts on the movement of music stock prices relative to the broader entertainment industry. By integrating quantitative analysis with qualitative insights from previous economic literature and industry perspectives, this research contributes to understanding the interaction between digital disruptors and traditional market dynamics

Holy Cross Magazine, Vol. 58, No. 3, Fall 2024

How Holy Cross Is Creating a Community That’s Not Afraid To Speak UpIt’s a hard time to talk about tough topics, yet that’s exactly what the College wants its students to do.Story by Marybeth Reilly-McGreen ’89 How Maia Lee-Chin Went From Fenwick Scholar to Bestselling Author The classic major’s new book, “Et Cetera: An Illustrated Guide to Latin Phrases,” highlights shared human experience — even over several millennia. Story by Marybeth Reilly-McGreen ’89 Rust Spots, Broken Radio and a Door That Doesn’t Open: Inside the True Value of a Family Van Reflection by Ronan Flanagan ’28 Amplifying the Voices of Women in Jazz Vocalist Rhiannon Hurst ’25 is using Holy Cross’ highest academic honor to examine and spotlight the music of women and nonbinary jazz artists. Story by Billy McEntee Holy Cross History Reveals The Power of Hope Inside the vital tie between hope and education. Reflection by Rev. Paul F. Harman, S.J., Hon. ’24 Fitness For All: Inside Improvements Needed for Gym Accessibility “What I have found is that ADA compliance does not mean that it is accessible,” says William Schutte ’26. Story by Maura Sullivan Hill She Was Supposed to Go to Law School. Instead, She Opened a Dispensary. Payton Shubrick ’15 wants you to rethink cannabis — and a whole lot of other things, too. Story by Marybeth Reilly-McGreen ’89 Photography by Michael Ivins Divided Democracy — The Past is (Frighteningly) Never Dead Reflection by Thomas R. Martin Illustration by Stephen Albano “What Business Are You In … Really?” Reflection by Julie Halpin Anderson ’84 Also: Where in The Hill is This? Around The Hill My Bag: Jennifer Tefft ’93, Musician, Songwriter and Performer In Memoriam Can We Ask You Some Questions, Connor Zanini?https://crossworks.holycross.edu/hcm/1002/thumbnail.jp