Tag: Sex Drugs & Music

How Music is Used to Preserve Ainu Culture

Presenter: Lily Strobel – Asian Studies, Global Studies

Faculty Mentor(s): Alisa Freedman, Kathie Carpenter

Session: (In-Person) Oral Panel—Sex, Drugs, & Music

The Ainu are an indigenous population native to northern modern-day Japan who have historically been suppressed and erased by the Japanese government. One of the ways they have resisted this governmental action is through music. In this presentation, how the Ainu use music as a tool to preserve their culture will be analyzed, both historically and in the modern context. To develop an understanding of the Ainu as a population, an in-depth literature review of their history was conducted, particularly as it pertains to music. This information informs an analysis of how music is used in the modern day. Two principal musical approaches were identified: the traditionalist approach, where artists perform music in traditional styles; and the fusionist approach, which combines traditional Ainu music with elements of more modern music, such as reggae or dub. Both of these approaches have the dual purpose of exposing non-Ainu to Ainu culture, as well as a way for Ainu to find belonging and express their heritage. Because the two approaches are drastically different styles of music, they will naturally attract different demographics. By understanding how music specifically is used to preserve Ainu culture, a more robust understanding of how arts in general can be used to the same end will develop. The underlying framework needs only to be slightly altered to map onto other fields, such as dance or literature.

A is for Adderall: Moralizations of Illicit Prescription Stimulant use in College

Presenter: Katherine Clarke − Sociology

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthew Norton, Jessica Vasquez-Tokos

(In-Person) Oral Panel—Sex, Drugs, & Music

With some brands receiving FDA approval starting in 2002, prescription stimulants, commonly referred to as Adderall, have been considered by the many they’ve been prescribed to as a life- changing drug that has supported individuals in better managing their everyday lives through addressing the chemical implications of ADHD. Soon after they became widely prescribed, stimulant prescriptions continued to not only gain popularity within the medical field but also recreationally. Colloquially known as “the study drug,” throughout the 21st century illicit prescription stimulant use has become increasingly popular amongst university students. However, unlike other substances seen on college campuses, Adderall is one of the only drugs associated with productivity when taken recreationally. In examining how various social groups and processes determine the cultural boundaries of acceptable versus unacceptable illicit prescription stimulant use, I argue that Adderall’s position on the moral spectrum of drug use is much more liminal than it is commonly understood to be. This paper then explores how social understandings of pleasure and productivity function to determine the acceptability of Adderall use, leading to new conceptualizations of how recreational use is culturally defined. To understand this I observe the influences to use, methods of obtaining and distributing, and contexts of taking stimulant prescriptions at the University of Oregon.

 

Cognitive Motivations for Women Faking Orgasm in Heterosexual and Queer Identities

Presenter: Alyssa Bui − Psychology

Faculty Mentor(s): Elliot Berkman

(In-Person) Oral Panel—Sex, Drugs, & Music

Research on the psychosocial phenomenon of women faking orgasms has only focused on a heterosexual population. Our study sought to include responses from both queer and heterosexual women to understand if motivations to fake orgasm and partnered orgasm frequency differ by sexual orientation. Undergraduate participants (N=103) were given possible motivations to fake orgasm and rated them on a scale from 1(Never) to 5(Always) in relation to their personal motivations to fake orgasm. The percentage of time participants faked orgasm and reached orgasm during partnered sex was also collected. A chi-square analysis was used to assess the relationship between sexual orientation and cognitive motivations to fake orgasm. There was a significant relationship between the motivation “Because your partner expects you to have an orgasm during sexual interactions?” and sexual orientation X2(4,103)= 11 .80, p= 0 .019. Descriptive statistics were used to examine counts of the highest motivations to fake orgasm and the average of reached and faked orgasms. Analyses revealed that the highest motivation for women to fake orgasm was “To make your partner happy”, with 70% of women reporting (Almost Always) or (Always). Additionally, heterosexual women were almost 10% more likely to fake orgasm (M=46 .75) than their queer counterparts (M=37 .96) . Results of this study add to the understanding of women’s sexuality, but further research is needed on faking orgasms and the potential for group differences.

Social Media Use: Worsening Anxiety and Depression

Presenter: Brooke Beaton − Political Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Corbett Upton

(In-Person) Oral Panel—Sex, Drugs, & Music

Mobile devices, along with social media and the Internet, have become a dominant presence in today’s world, especially among younger generations. Most of us rely on them to function in our daily lives. Alongside the frequent use of mobile devices, there has been an increase in mental health issues worldwide. The Internet opens many new doors and provides unlimited information, which has its benefits but can cause other negative issues. Behavioral changes from interacting with social media are noticeable, but research today has suggested that the use of social media may be rewiring our brain’s neural networks and its regular functions, such as the dopamine reward system and our ability to focus. This study investigates the correlation between this rewiring of the brain and worsening mental health outcomes, especially anxiety and depression. To investigate this issue, I explore persuasive design, mobile device dependency, and digitally influenced mental health issues. The results of this study are important for predicting the future of mental health treatment. By studying the consequences of social media use and dependency, I hope to raise awareness of the issue and help users make better decisions about their engagement with these products and minimize or prevent their negative effects.