Testosterone levels change in response to a variety of social situations including, sexual and challenge situations. Yet, little is known about the role of testosterone dynamics in in young adults in romantic relationships. Furthermore, the effect of compatibility of the relationship dyad on testosterone reactivity in response to social-challenge is unknown. Prior studies suggest that attachment levels may predict testosterone responsivity during stressors such as social challenge. What is missing from the literature is whether testosterone response to social-challenge is specifically modified within the confines of an attachment relationship, such as within romantic couples. I measured salivary testosterone in healthy romantically involved young adult couples in response to a examined romantic couples during a standardized laboratory stressor in the SPIT lab. Testosterone was measured repeatedly from saliva in both members of each dyad and assayed using an enzymeimmunoassay. Participants completed questionnaires measuring perceived relationship commitment, support, satisfaction, and passion. This was collectively described as relationship compatibility. I revealed that participants in romantic relationships showed significant testosterone response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Testosterone levels of the participant were moderated by testosterone levels of the supporter during the socialchallenge, such that the supporter’s response was coupled with their partner’s testosterone response to stress. When the couples reported high-compatibility, their testosterone profiles were more coupled than for couples reporting low-compatibility. Findings fit within the challenge hypothesis and extend it in interesting ways. Testosterone may help an individual confront a challenge, and, more interestingly, testosterone may help a couple confront a challenge together.

This thesis is an inquiry that documents, identifies and assesses the effectiveness, circumstances, and potential resources related to addressing the gap between social needs and higher education as stated in the National Development Strategy 2011-2016. The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the response of the students on the collaborative, human-centered, result-oriented aspects of design thinking while addressing the eating experience topic, an articulated theme from the wicked problem of obesity. The eating experience theme provided students from design, business and engineering majors a contextualized topic to test design thinking in a series of workshops conducted in three different universities. Quantitative research methods were used to test the students’ feedback on design thinking, map their reactions during the process and rate the workshops. The later served as a recruitment channel to bring interested students from design, business and engineering majors in a last workshop. Participants develop one of the previously generated seed concepts and reflect on the multi-disciplinary experience. Results have shown that students successfully articulated the method, focused on the user-needs, collaborated with each other and generated tangible seed concepts to address the social topic. The interior design students assessed the method with an average rating. They were the least comfortable with the ambiguity level of the topic and with the user-centered approach of design thinking. Whereas the engineering and business students rated the method with high scores and were comfortable in the workshops. Furthermore, 22% of the students involved in the study were interested to enroll in the last multi-disciplinary workshop yet 5% participated due to their workload and the lack of incentives. In conclusion, the inquiry engaged students in a transformative academic experience that impacted their cognitive and ethical capacity. It also revealed new opportunities that can bridge the gap between higher education and social needs.