Media Research Projects for the Future

Every research lab has a secret. Some labs are producing the next big technological jump for mankind. Others are for testing chemical compounds to possibly discover a new strain or element.

But what does the University of South Dakota’s media lab produce?

 

“Alright, just come sit down in this big, comfy chair and here’s the informed consent. Once you’re done reading, we’ll get this started for you, okay?”

In the basement of Al Neuharth is a PsychoPhys lab, which stands for Psychology/Physiology Lab. The lab is run by Dr. Brandon Nutting.

“We look at primarily skin conductance and heart rate using mediated forms of entertainment,” says Dr. Nutting.

One of the projects that Dr. Nutting is most excited about is Project Cobra, which was developed by previous USD graduate students Colin Berke and Travis Loof. The idea behind the project is to look at media content in three minute intervals, and seeing if people can be transported into the narrative. What makes this research project unique is the use of a stress bar. When a subject is holding onto the bar, the force applied to the object will directly be put into the computer. The idea is over time, subjects will weaken their grip on the bar, which means they are paying less attention to the bar and more attention to the content being showed to them.

According to Dr. Nutting, Project Cobra is one of many experiments that are trying to legitimize the most recent theory to come out of the minds of media professors: The Transportation Theory.

“It’s a crazy idea, like all of our other projects. Whether it works or it doesn’t, it’s going to be one hell of a ride,” says Dr. Nutting

Another project that is being worked on is The Golden Stim. This project is designed to look at Public Relations people and their level on influence. The idea is have a group of average looking people read these persuasive messages and seeing if the audience buys into the messages being given. This experiment is being ran by current USD graduate students Allison McNamara, Tanner Sifferath and Andy Schultze.

“Advertising agencies would love to have this kind of information from this experiment. And there’s a lot of grant money riding on this one too,” says Dr. Nutting.

The last big project being worked on right now is conducted by undergraduate Charlie Dalldorf. He is looking at Micro-transactions in video games and why people pay money into them in terms of level progression. He believes that people invest money into games to get a sense of cognitive desire and closure. This idea is cutting edge video game research that game developers would want to know when designing future games for the populace.

Looking ahead, Dr. Nutting is planning on acquiring an fMRI scanner, which stands for Functional Magnetic Resource Imaging. This device would round out the lab in what it is capable of. Dr. Nutting, however, did not specify what his “ultimate project” would be that would use an fMRI. He says that the lab will be getting one in the next two years.

In a short time span, Dr. Nutting is in the talks of possibly getting Apple Watches and their conventional use. That experiment is still on the back burner for now, but he wants to see if people can be “transported” in such a small media device.

All of the projects talked about will hopefully be accepted into Media Conferences in the next coming years. The big conference that everyone is going to is the International Conference Association in Puerto Rico in May 2015. Other conferences will be the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications in San Francisco, California in August 2015, and the Society for Psychophysiological Research, Dr. Nutting’s favorite conference, in Seattle October 2015.

As the only big media lab in this region of the nation, Dr. Nutting and his students plan on making a big impact in the upcoming years with cutting edge research projects and more.

D-Days History and 2014’s Parade

            Tradition is a concept that flows deep within the veins of the University of South Dakota. One of these traditions is USD’s homecoming: Dakota Days. Starting on November 20, 1914, the senior community members of Vermillion saw a wave of excellence that has never been seen before from the University Students. The residents of Vermillion wanted to dedicate a week out of the academic year to bring students, alumni and residents of Vermillion together.

Each year, the tradition of D-Days keeps getting bigger and better. Organizations from the university and community do everything they can to make the week as memorable as possible. Various events keep the Vermillion community busy throughout the week. All of this leads up to the parade in the morning where everyone is encouraged to watch. Afterwards, people move to the Dakota Dome, where the biggest tailgating session of the year starts as a prelude to the Homecoming Football Game.

“South Dakota Day is a unique feature in the history of the University. It is not too much to say then that the day has come to stay as one of the annual features of the School, and that each year will see it bettered and enlarged, until it will become a traditional day to University students and Alumni.” – The Coyote, 1916

One of the most profound aspects of D-Days is the morning parade. It is the quintessential combination of all the efforts the Vermillion community puts together and a great introduction for the biggest day out of the whole year for USD. Student organizations such as Greek Life, SGA and Spectrum were involved in the festivities. High School bands joined in on the fun with their own flare and choreographed routines. And political figures used the parade as a positive way to persuade voters in their favor.

There were even a couple oddballs at the parade that really stood out. There was this one particular band that had its roots in Asian Traditions. They used Asian drums and woodwinds for a mellow, spiritual kind of melody. Also, there were several kart riders that rode around all the other participants in the parade. Lastly, there were these people dressed up as chickens that finalized the weirdos at the parade.

When the parade starts, it feels like the entire community comes together to watch something really special. Even in a small college town like Vermillion, the fire of tradition still burns just as bright as it did 100 years ago. And this fire can only keep burning if the students can keep up their excellence and honor as the Flagship University of South Dakota.