Browsing by Subject "Department of Applied Human Sciences"
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Item The Outdoor Minimalist: A Conversation with UMD Alumna Meg Carney (2023-04-18)(2023) University of Minnesota Duluth. Department of English, Linguistics, and Writing StudiesA UMD alumna returns to campus to discuss her transition from classroom teaching to outdoor education and freelance writing, including her recent book and companion podcast, The Outdoor Minimalist. Meg Carney currently works as a full-time staff writer for Field and Stream magazine.Item Virtual Reality Exercise Effects on College Students with Anxiety and Depression: A Pilot Study(2023) Larson, HannaBoth within and outside of the classroom, mental health has become a primary concern across college campuses. Using virtual reality (VR) to provide an alternative exercise environment may amplify the beneficial effects of traditional exercise on mental health that have already been established. The purpose of this study is to investigate the physiological and psychological effects of VR exercise on college students with anxiety and/or depression. A sample of fourteen participants (Mage =19.86 ± 1.16; 11 females) with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression was recruited from the University of Minnesota Duluth campus. Participants performed two 20-minute sessions of VirZoom immersive VR exercise biking and VirZoom biking without the VR system (traditional condition) on separate days. Participants’ heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), enjoyment, self-efficacy, and mood were measured at various points during each of the two biking sessions. The VR biking sessions resulted in significant improvements in exercise self-efficacy, as well as the mood subscales of anger, confusion, depression, tension, and vigor. The traditional sessions resulted in significant improvements in only three mood subscales (depression, tension and vigor). A paired t-test indicated there were no significant differences in average HR or RPE between the two exercise conditions. College students suffering from symptoms of anxiety and depression can benefit from 20 minutes of exercise biking, regardless of the use of VR. While the physiological response may be comparable between the two exercise conditions, VR exercise may be more effective in enhancing mood and self-efficacy compared to traditional bike exercise. The results of this study may lend themselves to improved long-term exercise adherence in individuals suffering from mental illness and suggest a potential way to improve mood supplemental to traditional therapies.Item Visitor Use and Associated Benefits of the UMD Bagley Nature Area(2019-04) McLarnan, Emma;The benefits associated with time spent outdoors such as a decrease in obesity, positive social impacts, improvement in mood and stress reduction are well documented (US Fish & Wildlife Service, 2016; Wolch et al., 2011; Benefits of Connecting Children with Nature, 2012; Izenstark & Ebata, 2014). There are also benefits to diverse populations spending time in nature such as increasing the physical activity of urban youth, increasing a sense of identity among recent immigrants as well as providing a sense of relief and self-efficacy (Babey, et al., 2008; Wong, 1997). The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) campus is unique in having a 55 acre nature area right on campus known as the Bagley Nature Area (BNA). This site is used extensively for nature-based instruction, as a park for students to enjoy, as a place to gain physical exercise in the outdoors, and by community members for exercise, wildlife watching, and time spent in nature. However, in spite of the diverse use this area receives, the full extent of visitor impacts on the site and the type of visitor (e.g. college classes, student use, athletic teams, community members) have not been reviewed since 2007(Gilbertson, 2007; Gilbertson, Bates, & Pastor, 2007). The purpose of this UROP study is to analyze data collected from users at the BNA to determine visitor use and visitor types. Data was collected via the use of electronic eye sensors and a discreetly placed trail camera. This data will be used to help guide management of the site and to determine the ways that the site is currently being used with the overall goal of managing this valuable campus and community resource in an environmentally sustainable manner.