Undergraduate Research Study Abroad (URSA)
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The Undergraduate Research Study Abroad program is an opportunity to do an independent research project in Morocco with the support of faculty mentors and advisors in both the US and Morocco. The URSA Morocco experience is in the community, engaging with others, building relationships with the goal of completing a project (maybe traditional research, maybe something less traditional). URSA offers motivated students the chance to choose a project in any academic field (from piano performance to chemical engineering and anything in between) and in one of three languages (English, French or Arabic).
This collection contains final papers and posters from the research projects of students who participated in the USRA Morocco program.
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Item Moral Foundation Theory: Moral Differences between Moroccan and American Young Adults(2024) Mohamed, MariamaThis cross-cultural comparative study investigated the moral differences between Moroccan and American college students. Both groups completed an online survey that included the moral foundations theory questionnaire (MFQ) regarding the following foundations of care/harm, fairness/reciprocity, in-group/loyalty, authority/respect, purity/sanctity, and liberty/oppression, as well as a demographic questionnaire that focused on age, nationality, gender, religion, political views, and socioeconomic status (Graham, 2011). Results found significant differences in the care/harm, fairness/reciprocity, and liberty/oppression moral foundations. Specifically, the American college students at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) scored higher on the following moral foundations than the Moroccan students. The results suggest that the desire to care for others and their sufferings was of greater moral concern for UMD students as compared to Moroccan students. These results also suggest that American students prioritize principles of fairness, justice, and individual rights as compared to Moroccan students. In addition, we sought to explore the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on morality as socioeconomic status (SES) has been consistently found to predict differences in morality. When analyzing the SES effects on morality, we discovered that the high SES participants scored higher on care/harm and fairness-reciprocity foundations as compared to the lowest SES participants.Item The Perceived Value of English in Moroccan Society Across Generational Lines(2024-04-18) Broten, Johanna CThe importance of English cannot be ignored. Increasingly, non-native speakers need to communicate and interpret information in the English language worldwide. Morocco is no exception. Because of the growing importance of international tourism in Morocco and the rise of its status on the global stage, this research seeks to better understand the instrumentality and desirability of the English language in the eyes of Moroccans. The current understanding of the value of English in Morocco exists primarily from the perspective of students, providing an important but incomplete view of the importance of English in Moroccan society. To gain a fuller understanding of its perceived value, this research examines the attitudes and opinions of people across generational lines. This research was guided by the question “What is the perceived value of English in Moroccan society across generational lines?” We answered this question through a survey that gathered information on demographics, English language background, English use (e.g. what percent of your daily conversations are in English?), and English attitudes (e.g. how important do you think English will be in your future?). After comparing responses across generational lines to identify any important differences, we found a strong correlation between attitudes towards English and actual use of the language suggesting that English is highly valued in Morocco, especially among the younger generation.Item Skillful Engagement with Community Perceptions of Climate Change in Morocco(2024-04-01) Yehlik, Oliver RWhat does it mean to seek out stories? How do I talk about my own life story? Where do I find activists who might tell me the story of their work? How can I receive these stories and what might we learn? These are questions I contend with as I prepare to leave for Morocco. My research leads me around the country, to beautiful conversations on rooftops and climate workshops with activists. I bring these moments with me to Duluth, where I seek out experiences to carry on the conversation and understand my work across contexts. My research builds frames as I begin to notice the skills for engaging with climate change in the words of the activists I speak with. In all of this, I recognize that the work calls into being a new question that might reveal what it is I hope to know. How do we support and empower one another to find the climate narrative that is also the story of our one-and-only life?Item A Cross-Cultural Investigation of the Perceived Benefits and Barriers to Adopting a Plant-Based Diet(2023-05) Raddatz, Brianna MDrawing on the transtheoretical model (TTM), this study examines the link between stages of change for following a plant-based diet and individuals' perceived benefits and barriers to adopting a plant-based diet. The purpose of this study is to develop a more comprehensive understanding of how to best promote plant-based diets via stage-specific health interventions and communication campaigns. The primary result(s) of this study is that there was a significant effect of stage in the transtheoretical model on a student's perceived benefits to adopting a plant-based diet [F(2, 141) = 16.9, p =.001]; there was also a significant effect of stage in the transtheoretical model on a student's perceived barriers to adopting a plant-based diet [F(2, 141) = 9.38, p =.001].Item The Public Perceptions of Mental Illness in Moroccan Culture(2023-04-30) Mitchell, Madeline SIndividuals with mental illnesses are commonly exposed to a variety of stigmas. These stigmas differ across cultural and individual levels (Al-Krenawi et al., 2008; Corrigan & O’Shaughnessy, 2007; Gesser-Edelsburg & Shbat, 2016; Kadri et al., 2004; Markowitz, 1998; Stein, 2000; Zarrouq et al., 2021; Zolezzi et al., 2018). Specifically, stigma exists as a significant obstacle to the abilities of people with mental illness to receive adequate care and integrate into the public without worrying about discrimination (Gesser-Edelsburg & Shbat, 2016; Slate et al., 2013). This research examined the most prevalent factors that impact the Moroccan public’s attitudes and perceptions about individuals with mental illnesses, according to past research. It was found that men, specifically Muslim men, and participants ages 25 years old and above had significantly more stigmatic, particularly authoritarian, perceptions about people with mental illness. Conversely, women were significantly more benevolent than men. Significant findings also suggested that women and participants 24 years and younger were more likely to be interested in Westernized mental health services.Item Differences in Academic Burnout and Coping Styles Between Moroccan and American University Students(2022-11-15) McClintock, LinneaThe aim of this cross-cultural comparative study was to investigate the differences in academic burnout, coping styles, and learning-related achievement emotions between university students in Morocco (studying at the International University of Rabat) and in the United States (studying at the University of Minnesota Duluth). This study addressed three objectives: (1) to evaluate the different perceptions of academic burnout between both cultures, (2) to compare the coping strategies used by Moroccan and American students when responding to stress, and (3) to investigate differences in learning-related achievement emotions. Findings of this study revealed that UMD students reported higher levels of exhaustion in academic-related activities, UIR students had higher levels of hope and pride when learning academic material. Future research might examine how distinct cultural values and environments can have psychological impacts on university students’ academic experiences.