Bethel Native Presents Research Poster at CREATE Conference

From Eastern Connecticut State University:

WILLIMANTIC, CT (05/03/2016)-- More than 250 talented students at Eastern Connecticut State University presented research and creative work at the university's second annual CREATE conference this past April. CREATE stands for Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern, and is the university's premier, academic year-end showcase. At the culminating event, students of all majors presented professional posters, live music, dance performances, artwork, photography, documentaries and panel discussions.

Melanie Ravo '17 of Bethel, who majors in Pre-Early Childhood Education and Psychology, presented a research poster at the event. Ravo's poster presentation was titled "Television Advertisements and Children's Food Preferences."

"Everybody encounters media hundreds of times a day, either subconsciously or consciously," said Ravo. "Advertisements can be persuasive in their nature, having an effect on the viewer; this is particularly true for younger generations who do not fully understand the goal of advertisements. Because children influence a large portion of the household purchases, marketers have great interest in the influence of advertisements on children, and in particular, food advertisements. The majority of food advertisements are for sugary breakfast foods, snacks, and restaurants whereas healthy food options are rarely broadcasted. Researchers have previously noted that children who watched unhealthy food advertisements preferred unhealthy foods; however, there has been limited research on the direct effects of healthy food advertisements and if and how easily a child's food preference can be influenced when shown advertisements. The purpose of the study was to determine if a child's initial food preference could be altered after showing an advertisement for a food option he or she would normally not prefer. Thirty?second commercials, and repeated preference assessments, of healthy and nonhealthy foods were used to assess the immediate and subsequent effects of food advertisements on children's preferences for healthy and unhealthy food. Findings from this study could be used for healthcare educators, expanding their understanding of protective and risk factors for obesity in children. It also gives implications for more regulations to be put on marketing towards children to protect them from the negative outcomes of its persuasive content. Lastly, it could educate parents about advertising's effects on their children in order to filter what their children watch on television and encourage their child to eat healthier through explaining the health benefits of vegetables and fruits."

Remarking on the variety of presentations, Professor Dickson Cunningham, conference co-chair, said, "CREATE encapsulates the essence of the liberal arts in one afternoon. It is an intellectual smorgasbord."

Speaking to the value of CREATE, Eastern President Elsa Nunez said, "It takes a very strong and dedicated student to produce this quality of work, and it's important for other students to see this output." Praising the faculty, she added, "It takes a committed and skillful mentor to guide students to the work that is on display. Mentorship is such an integral part of undergraduate research."

During the one-day conference, the Student Center crawled with artistic and scholarly activity. Students in professional attire addressed their peers, faculty and family. In the cafe, ensembles performed; in the theatre, student-produced documentaries were shown; in the Betty R. Tipton Room, aisles of posters depicting scientific research were displayed; across the hall, a gallery-worth of paintings lined the walls; and on the ground floor, panel discussions and oral presentations about the humanities took place.

Founded in 1889, Eastern Connecticut State University is the state's public liberal arts university and one of only 29 such designated institutions in North America. Eastern is home to 5,300 students who come from 158 of Connecticut's 169 townships, from 20 states throughout the country, and from 63 foreign countries. As a predominantly residential campus, Eastern has approximately 60 percent of undergraduate students living on its beautiful campus. With more than 150 buildings and 2.3 million square feet of space, Eastern's physical plant is admired by students and visitors alike; in January 2016, a new Fine Arts Center opened, further advancing Eastern's liberal arts mission.

The university offers 38 undergraduate majors, 55 minors, and seven master's degree programs. An excellent student/teacher ratio (15.5:1) and small class sizes (average class size is 23.3) allow students to receive exceptional personal attention.