Digital Commons Network^™

Life “With” Or “Without”? An Empirical Study Of Homicide Sentencing, Michael M. O'Hear, Darren Wheelock

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The number of Americans serving sentences of life without the possibility of parole ("LWOP") has grown rapidly over the past generation and now exceeds 50,000. Yet, little empirical research has been conducted on the determinants of LWOP sentences. The dearth of research on LWOP sentencing stands in sharp contrast to the many dozens of studies that have been conducted on the determinants of death sentences–studies that have consistently found that race, gender, and other questionable factors may influence sentencing outcomes. The present study is the first to employ a similar methodology to identify both case‐ and county‐level variables that are …

Alpha, Omega, And The Letters In Between: Lgbtqi Conservative Christians Undoing Gender, Dawne Moon, Theresa Weynand Tobin, J. E. Sumerau

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Sociologists studying gender have debated West and Zimmerman’s premise that “doing gender is unavoidable,” seeking to ascertain whether people can “undo” or only “redo” gender. While sociologists have been correct to focus on the interactional accomplishment of gender, they have neglected one of Garfinkel’s key insights about interaction: that people hold each other accountable to particular narratives. Neglecting the narrative aspect of doing—and undoing—gender impedes our ability to recognize processes of social change. Based on a qualitative study, we show how the movement for LGBTQI acceptance within U.S. conservative Protestant churches works to make gender not “omnirelevant” by challenging conservative …

Black Masculinities And The Media: An Interview With Filmmaker And Activist Byron Hurt, Kevin D. Thomas

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

In this interview, Byron Hurt reflects on his career and how he has become a prominent activist, speaker, filmmaker, and writer about media's roles in shaping Black identities and culture, especially constructions of Black masculinity. In addition to detailing his career trajectory, Hurt discusses many important topics: his inspiration to make films, the power of filmmaking to make cultural change, the filmmaker's place within a documentary, changing notions of Black masculinity, the constraints advertising and media place on Black men and boys to define their manhood, Black men's assertion of power over Black women, intersectionality, digital media's possibilities for more …

Visible/Invisible: Female Astronauts And Technology In Star Trek: Discovery And National Geographic’S Mars, Amanda R. Keeler

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This article examines the newest television programme in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Discovery (2017–) and National Geographic’s part-documentary, part-fictional series Mars (2016–). I argue that Discovery and Mars make visible the depiction of developing technology and a breadth and depth of female astronaut characters, two elements that have been historically marginalised in sf narratives such as Star Trek: The Original Series (1966–9). Discovery and Mars both emphasise the purposeful centrality of female characters and their positions of authority as female astronauts and ship leaders. Each programme also foregrounds the representation and framing of technology, emphasising the not-yet-perfect science …

Women Creatives And Machismo In Mexican Advertising: Challenging Barriers To Success, Marta Mensa Torra, Jean Grow

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This study explores the experiences of women working as creatives in Mexican advertising creative departments. It is based on 22 in-depth interviews and suggests that these women face significant challenges within the machismo culture, which permeates Mexican advertising creative departments. Mexico plays an important role in global advertising, particularly in Latin America, but in this country female workers only represent five per cent of those working in creative departments. This is the first study focused on Mexican women creatives in advertising, highlighting the confluence of advertising women creatives and Mexican culture. Analysis reveals ten subcategories which articulate the horizontal and …

Religious F Aith In The Unjust Meantime: The Spiritual Violence Of Clergy Sexual Abuse, Theresa Weynand Tobin

Philosophy Faculty Research and Publications

Clergy sexual abuse is both sexual and psychological violence, but it is also a paradigmatic case of spiritual violence that rises to the level of religious trauma. In this paper I argue that the spiritual violence of clergy sexual abuse diminishes, and in some cases may even destroy, a survivor’s capacities for religious faith or other forms of spiritual engagement. I use and illustrate the value of feminist methodology, as developed and advanced by Alison Jaggar, for generating and pursuing philosophical questions about religious experience. Feminist methodology’s sensitivity to theorizing situated subjects who stand to each other in relations of …

Driver Responses To Graphic-Aided Portable Changeable Message Signs In Highway Work Zones, Yilei Huang, Yong Bai

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Portable changeable message signs (PCMSs) have been employed in highway work zones as temporary traffic control devices. Various studies showed that adding graphics to PCMS messages can provide advantages to traditional text messages, such as increasing legibility and improving the understanding of elderly drivers. This article synthesizes the findings of a two-phase research project aimed to investigate driver responses to graphic-aided PCMSs. Different text and graphic-aided PCMSs representing roadwork and flagger were set up in the upstream of highway work zones, and speed data of more than 2,700 vehicles were collected with a series of five speed sensors to determine …

Generation-Z Enters The Advertising Workplace: Expectations Through A Gendered Lens, Jean Grow, Shiyu Yang

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

Generation-Z (Gen-Z) is entering the workforce with differing personal and professional expectations from previous generations. Further, those expectations tend to vary by gender. At the same time, workplace environments, and the social structures that underpin the workplace, are slow to change. Advertising is no exception.

As educators, we are just beginning our encounter with Gen-Z and their differing habits and expectations. Further, while these young women and men share many common experiences and expectations, their expectations are also influenced by their gendered experiences. Social capital theory helps us make sense of the findings as we explore the gaps between the …

Sex Differences In Mechanisms Of Recovery After Isometric And Dynamic Fatiguing Tasks, Jonathon Senefeld, Hugo M. Pereira, Nicholas Elliott, Tejin Yoon, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether supraspinal mechanisms contribute to the sex difference in fatigability during and recovery from a dynamic and isometric fatiguing task with the knee extensors.

Methods: Transcranial magnetic stimulation and electrical stimulation were used to determine voluntary activation and contractile properties of the knee extensors in 14 men and 17 women (20.8 ± 1.9 yr) after a 1) 60-s sustained, maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), and 2) dynamic fatiguing task involving 120 maximal voluntary concentric contractions with a 20% MVIC load.

Results: There were no differences between men and women in the …

Do College Admissions Counselors Discriminate? Evidence From A Correspondence-Based Field Experiment, Andrew Hanson

Economics Faculty Research and Publications

I design and implement a correspondence based field experiment to test for race and gender discrimination among college admissions counselors in the student information gathering stage. The experiment uses names to identify student race and gender, and student grade, SAT score, and writing differences to reflect varying levels of applicant quality. I find that counselors do not respond differently by race in most cases, but there are measurable differences in response/non-response and in the type of correspondence sent that favor female students. I also find that the quality of the student induces large differences in the type of response.

Gay-Straight Alliances As Settings To Discuss Health Topics: Individual And Group Factors Associated With Substance Use, Mental Health, And Sexual Health Discussions, V. P. Poteat, Nicholas C. Heck, H. Yoshikawa, J. P. Calzo

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Sexual minority (e.g. lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning; LGBQ) and gender minority (e.g. transgender) youth experience myriad health risks. Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) are school-based settings where they may have opportunities to discuss substance use, mental health, and sexual health issues in ways that are safe and tailored to their experiences. Attention to these topics in GSAs could aid in developing programming for these settings. Among 295 youth from 33 Massachusetts high-school GSAs (69% LGBQ, 68% cisgender female, 68% White, M_age = 16.06), we examined how often youth discussed these topics within their GSA and identified factors associated with having more …

Sex Differences In Neuromuscular Fatigability Of The Knee Extensors Post-Stroke, Meghan Kirking, Reivian B. Barillas, Philip A. Nelson, Sandra K. Hunter, Allison Hyngstrom

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background and Purpose: Despite the implications of optimizing strength training post-stroke, little is known about the differences in fatigability between men and women with chronic stroke. The purpose of this study was to determine the sex differences in knee extensor muscle fatigability and potential mechanisms in individuals with stroke. Methods: Eighteen participants (10 men, eight women) with chronic stroke (≥6 months) and 23 (12 men, 11 women) nonstroke controls participated in the study. Participants performed an intermittent isometric contraction task (6 s contraction, 3 s rest) at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque until failure to maintain the target …

Fast Men Slow More Than Fast Women In A 10 Kilometer Road Race, Robert O. Deaner, Vittorio Addana, Rickey E. Carter, Michael J. Joyner, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background. Previous studies have demonstrated that men are more likely than women to slow in the marathon (footrace). This study investigated whether the sex difference in pacing occurs for a shorter race distance.

Materials & Methods.Data were acquired from the Bolder Boulder 10 km road race for the years 2008–2013, which encompassed 191,693 performances. There were two pacing measures, percentage change in pace of the first 3 miles relative to the final 3.2 miles and percentage change in pace of the first mile relative to the final 5.2 miles. Pacing was analyzed as a continuous variable and as two …

Only Women Report Increase In Pain Threshold Following Fatiguing Contractions Of The Upper Extremity, Kathy J. Lemley, Jonathon Senefeld, Sandra K. Hunter, Marie K. Hoeger Bement

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

The perception of pain in response to a noxious stimulus can be markedly reduced following an acute bout of exercise [exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH)]. Sex differences in EIH frequently occur after exercise but may be confounded by the sex differences in muscle fatigue. The purpose was to determine if sex differences in pain relief occur after an exercise protocol when muscle fatigue is similar for both young and older men and women.

Methods

Pain perception of 33 men (15 young) and 31 women (19 young) was measured using a pressure pain stimulus on the left index finger before and after …

Sex Differences In Elite Swimming With Advanced Age Are Less Than Marathon Running, Jonathon Senefeld, Michael J. Joyner, A. Stevens, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

The sex difference in marathon performance increases with finishing place and age of the runner but whether this occurs among swimmers is unknown. The purpose was to compare sex differences in swimming velocity across world record place (1st–10th), age group (25–89 years), and event distance. We also compared sex differences between freestyle swimming and marathon running. The world's top 10 swimming times of both sexes for World Championship freestyle stroke, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly events and the world's top 10 marathon times in 5-year age groups were obtained. Men were faster than women for freestyle (12.4 ± 4.2%), backstroke (12.8 …

Sex Differences With Aging In The Fatigability Of Dynamic Contractions, Tejin Yoon, Ryan E. Doyel, Claire Widule, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

This study determined the sex difference with aging in fatigability of the elbow flexor muscles during a dynamic fatiguing task, and explored the associated mechanisms. We compared fatigability of the elbow flexor muscles in 18 young (20.2 ± 1 years: 9 men) and 36 old adults (73.5 ± 1 years: 16 men) during and in recovery from repeated dynamic contractions (~ 60°/s) with a load equivalent to 20% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) torque until failure. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to assess supraspinal fatigue (an increase in the superimposed twitch, SIT) and the peak rate of muscle …

Age And Sex Differences In Steadiness Of Elbow Flexor Muscles With Imposed Cognitive Demand, Hugo M. Pereira, Vincent C. Spears, Bonnie Schlinder-Delap, Tejin Yoon, Kristy A. Nielson, Sandra Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: These studies determined (1) age and sex-related differences in steadiness of isometric contractions when high cognitive demand was imposed across a range of forces with the elbow flexor muscles (study 1) and, (2) sex differences in steadiness among older adults when low cognitive demand was imposed (study 2).

Methods: 36 young adults (18–25 years; 18 women) and 30 older adults (60–82 years; 17 women) performed isometric contractions at 5%, 30% and 40% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Study 1 involved a high-cognitive demand session (serial subtractions by 13 during the contraction) and a control session …

Men Are More Likely Than Women To Slow In The Marathon, Robert O. Deaner, Rickey E. Carter, Michael J. Joyner, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Studies on nonelite distance runners suggest that men are more likely than women to slow their pace in a marathon.

Purpose: This study determined the reliability of the sex difference in pacing across many marathons and after adjusting women's performances by 12% to address men's greater maximal oxygen uptake and also incorporating information on racing experience.

Methods: Data were acquired from 14 US marathons in 2011 and encompassed 91,929 performances. For 2929 runners, we obtained experience data from a race-aggregating Web site. We operationalized pace maintenance as the percentage change in pace observed in the second half of the marathon …

Creative Women In Peru: Outliers In A Machismo World, Marta Mensa Torra, Jean M. Grow

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

Gender segregation begins early and is reinforced within the workplace. Advertising creative departments appear to have extreme gender segregation with women representing just 20% of all those working within creative departments worldwide. Yet, creativity does not depend on gender. Thus, the underrepresentation of women is particularly troubling. In Peru women comprise 3% to 10.4% of all people working in advertising creative, which suggests the situation for creative women in Peru is dire. In order to understand this phenomenon, and with the hope of finding solutions, this study uses in-depth interviews to explore the experiences of Peruvian women working in advertising …

A Profile Of Top Performers On The Uniform Cpa Exam, Michael D. Akers, Don Giacomino, Kelly Courtney, Olivia Johnson

Accounting Faculty Research and Publications

The Elijah Watt Sells Award, one of the most prestigious professional awards in the US, honors top performers on the Uniform CPA Examination. This article provides statistics by state and by gender of past award winners, from the first CPA exam in 1923 through the most recent available exam results for 2012. In addition, it presents a profile of the top performers based on the results of a survey administered by the authors to recent Sells Award winners. Specifically, the survey examined the recipient's educational level, the amount and type of preparation, and the impact of the award on the …

Stressor-Induced Increase In Muscle Fatigability Of Young Men And Women Is Predicted By Strength But Not Voluntary Activation, Manda L. Keller-Ross, Hugo M. Pereira, Jaclyn Pruse, Tejin Yoon, Bonnie A. Schlinder-Delap, Kristy A. Nielson, Sandra Hunter

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This study investigated mechanisms for the stressor-induced changes in muscle fatigability in men and women. Participants performed an isometric-fatiguing contraction at 20% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) until failure with the elbow flexor muscles. Study one (n = 55; 29 women) involved two experimental sessions: 1) a high-stressor session that required a difficult mental-math task before and during a fatiguing contraction and 2) a control session with no mental math. For some participants (n = 28; 14 women), cortical stimulation was used to examine mechanisms that contributed to muscle fatigability during the high-stressor and control sessions. Study two …

Sex Differences In Human Fatigability: Mechanisms And Insight To Physiological Responses, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Sex-related differences in physiology and anatomy are responsible for profound differences in neuromuscular performance and fatigability between men and women. Women are usually less fatigable than men for similar intensity isometric fatiguing contractions. This sex difference in fatigability, however, is task specific because different neuromuscular sites will be stressed when the requirements of the task are altered, and the stress on these sites can differ for men and women. Task variables that can alter the sex difference in fatigability include the type, intensity and speed of contraction, the muscle group assessed and the environmental conditions. Physiological mechanisms that are responsible …

Learning To Be Muslim—Transnationally, Louise Cainkar

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

This essay discusses the religious upbringing experiences and reflections upon them articulated by 53 Muslim American youth who were interviewed as part of a larger sociological study of Arab American teenagers living transnationally. On extended sojourns in their parents’ homelands, these youth—most were born in the US although some migrated to the US at a young age—were taken “back home” to Palestine and Jordan by their parents so they could learn “their language, culture, and religion." They were asked about learning to be Muslim in the US and overseas in the context of a much larger set of questions about …

He Said, She Said: The Boy’S Own Paper And The Girl’S Own Paper, Jacqueline Boratyn

4710 English Undergraduate Research: Children’s Literature

This essay, “He Said, She Said: The Boy’s Own Paper and The Girl’s Own Paper,” analyzes the difference in newspapers geared toward children of the nineteenth century. Gender roles were prominent in England, where the newspapers were in print, and it was quite evident not only by their appearance but their content that girls and boys had two very different expectations in life. As women were expected to get an education and grow up quickly with their newly-found “power,” men were instead challenged to stay young and continue to explore life. In closing, this essay will examine The Girl’s …

Sex Differences In Marathon Running With Advanced Age: Physiology Or Participation?, Sandra K. Hunter, Alyssa A. Stevens

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

The sex difference in marathon performance increases with age and place of the finisher, even at the elite level. Sociological factors may explain the increased sex gap, but there is limited empirical evidence for specific factors.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to determine the sex difference in velocity for the marathon across the place of finisher (1st–10th place) with advanced age and (2) to determine the association between the sex difference in participation (ratio of men-to-women finishers) and the sex difference in running velocity.

Methods: Running times of the first 10 placed men and women in the 5-yr …

Review Of Fertility And Gender By Helen Watts, M. Therese Lysaught

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

“The Boys’ Club”: A Lost Story, Rebecca Bradley

4710 English Undergraduate Research: Children’s Literature

An interesting example of “lost” children’s stories is Charles Bernard’s “The Boys’ Club,” published in Volume 12, Number 6 of the popular American children’s periodical St. Nicholas Magazine. This story, which possesses many of the qualities of children’s literature of the Victorian period, conveys lessons in an attempt to teach young readers how to behave in society. Although books for boys are typically thought of as stories filled with adventure and freedom from rules, “The Boys’ Club” highlights how clubs for young and underprivileged boys could be used for socialization of the lower classes and to maintain social control.

The Peril Of The Princesses: How Gender Stereotypes Affect Young Readers, Brianna Basta

4710 English Undergraduate Research: Children’s Literature

The stories of three well-known princesses are told in Three Fairy Princesses, written by Caroline Patterson around 1890. These fairy tales—“Snow White,” “Sleeping Beauty,” and “Cinderella”—present subtle stereotypes that send distinct messages about what women meant to society at the time in terms of their roles and the ideas about gender. Each princess’s tale in this text offers a different view as to what a proper woman should be engaging in, which would ultimately reflect how these texts were understood when they debuted. Three Fairy Princesses has a lot to say about the type of gender stereotyping that was common …

Race, Gender, And Tokenism In Policing: An Empirical Elaboration, Meghan S. Stroshine, Steven G. Brandl

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

According to tokenism theory, “tokens” (those who comprise less than 15% of a group’s total) are expected to experience a variety of hardships in the workplace, such as feelings of heightened visibility, isolation, and limited opportunities for advancement. In the policing literature, most previous studies have defined tokenism narrowly in terms of gender. The current research extends prior research by examining tokenism as a function of gender and race, with an examination of racial/ethnic subgroups. Particular attention is paid to Latino officers as this study represents the first known study of tokenism and Latino police officers. Quantitative analyses reveal that, …

Generational Differences Of Personal Values Of Business Students, Don Giacomino, Jill Brown, Michael Akers

Accounting Faculty Research and Publications

This paper examines the values and value systems of business students from a private mid-western university using the Rokeach Value Survey and the Musser and Orke Typology of Personal Values. The findings of this study are compared with the results of studies in the latter part of the 1990’s and early 2000 in order to provide some insights regarding generational differences. There is evidence of changes in several individual variables during the past decade. For example, the value with the greatest change is National Security. Students in 2010 place more importance on this value than did the students in 1998. …