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Social Comparison Theory: The Effects Athletic Influencers Have On An Appalachian Generation Z Men Audience, Aaron David Dickens Jan 2023

Social Comparison Theory: The Effects Athletic Influencers Have On An Appalachian Generation Z Men Audience, Aaron David Dickens

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Many studies have highlighted how social comparison can influence self-efficacy for exercise, body dissatisfaction, and motivation to exercise, especially on social media; in addition, several studies have supported how attitude toward exercise and confidence toward exercise correlate with one another. However, these dependent variables have not been examined in the context of Generation Z men in Appalachia. Despite the lack of literature on this demographic, it is important to study Generation Z Appalachian men because of the frequent health problems this demographic faces, such as obesity. Therefore, this pretest-posttest between-subjects lab experiment investigated how an athletic influencer on social media …


First Year Teacher In Appalachia: Place, Identity, Tensions, Michael Renee Lane Jan 2023

First Year Teacher In Appalachia: Place, Identity, Tensions, Michael Renee Lane

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This study centers on one first-year Social Studies teacher who is beginning her teaching career in a rural middle school in central Appalachia. Grounded in sociocultural theory, this qualitative study focuses understanding how the focal teacher discursively constructs her teaching identity including how she makes use of sociocultural resources, social practices, and the discourses she draws from as she describes her experiences. Data is drawn from a five-month interpretive qualitative case study that included semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and the focal teacher’s personal journals. Data analysis indicated that place is crucial in shaping teachers’ beliefs and practices—including their conceptions of …


Navigating Place And Gender: A Multicontextual Critical Narrative Inquiry Of Rural Trans* Student Experiences, Jessie Lynn O'Quinn Jan 2023

Navigating Place And Gender: A Multicontextual Critical Narrative Inquiry Of Rural Trans* Student Experiences, Jessie Lynn O'Quinn

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The purpose of this critical narrative study was to understand how rural West Virginia trans* students navigate cultural norms of their rural home communities and higher education contexts. An essential part of this critical narrative was to provide rural trans* students with an avenue to share their unique experiences and give them a platform to share their voices. The resulting narratives suggested that the normative tensions rural trans* college students experience across contexts stemmed from negative regional experiences that reinforced traditional gender norms. Negative home contexts and experiences forced students to feel like they had to build walls and distance …


Exploring Prenatal Care In A Rural Appalachian State: A Project Watch Study Of Barriers And Facilitators In All Births From May 2018 To March 2022, Madelin Gardner Jan 2023

Exploring Prenatal Care In A Rural Appalachian State: A Project Watch Study Of Barriers And Facilitators In All Births From May 2018 To March 2022, Madelin Gardner

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Introduction: PNC is essential in protecting the health of birthing person and infant. Teenage and advanced maternal age (AMA) birthing persons are known risk factors for poor birth outcomes. However, less is known about whether these age groups are associated with inadequate PNC. Births to teenagers continue to be of concern in rural areas however, little is known about the association between inadequate PNC and poor infant outcomes in teenage populations. Previous studies have determined that greater risk of inadequate PNC has been linked to more rural areas compared to more urban areas. WV is the third most rural state …


Source Credibility And Trust Of Media Information Based On Gender Of Reporter, Madison R. Urse Jan 2023

Source Credibility And Trust Of Media Information Based On Gender Of Reporter, Madison R. Urse

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An experiment was used for this study to explore if the gender of a reporter impacts perceived source credibility and thus trust in information. Previous research has shown how gender biases can affect how topics are covered, reported on, perceived and marketed in the journalistic world. Modern media and newsrooms are meant to mirror reality as they convey information to the public, yet women continue to be gatekept out of reporting on certain types of news. Further, changes in the mode of delivery of news are also impacting the journalism landscape. Thus, this study employed a digital stimulus to explore …


Levantine Immigration And Community Building In Charleston, West Virginia, 1900-1930, George P. Jacobs Ii Jan 2023

Levantine Immigration And Community Building In Charleston, West Virginia, 1900-1930, George P. Jacobs Ii

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Immigrants from the Levant, a region of the middle east made up of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine, settled in the United States in large numbers between 1890 and 1920. Many eventually decided to make Charleston, West Virginia their permanent home. When they arrived in Charleston, most Levantine immigrants worked as peddlers, selling modern wares and household goods to families that needed them. This research explains the context for this immigration wave, the important economic niche Levantine immigrants satisfied in the developing economy of southern West Virginia, and how over time Charleston’s Levantine community contributed significantly to the city’s culture.


Investigation Of Fungal Pathogens And Woodboring Beetles Of Sugarbush Stands In The Central Appalachian Region, Molly A. Sherlock Jan 2023

Investigation Of Fungal Pathogens And Woodboring Beetles Of Sugarbush Stands In The Central Appalachian Region, Molly A. Sherlock

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The production of maple syrup is a valuable source of income and cultural identity for many rural communities throughout the central Appalachian region. Regardless, maple syrup producers face difficulties maintaining the health and productivity
of their stands due to various impacts of climate change, which have given rise to extreme weather events that exacerbate damage caused by pests and diseases. To ensure the long-term sustainability of the maple syrup industry, it is crucial to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the current biotic threats within the region, particularly woodboring insects and fungal pathogens. However, insufficient information exists regarding the community assemblages …


Rebuilding The Appalachian Economy From The Ground Up: Towards A Holistic Organizational Framework For Community And Economic Development In Rural Extractive Areas, Brandon M. Dennison Jan 2023

Rebuilding The Appalachian Economy From The Ground Up: Towards A Holistic Organizational Framework For Community And Economic Development In Rural Extractive Areas, Brandon M. Dennison

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Central Appalachia specifically and rural extractive areas more generally face some of the most challenging socio-economic realities in North America. Community-based organizations (CBOs) are an important tool for addressing these challenges. As governments intensify efforts to mitigate climate change, and as fossil-fuel industries contract, extracted communities are experiencing economic, cultural, and environmental upheaval. Many leaders call for a “just transition” away from fossil-fuels, which would make local extraction communities whole. However, achieving a truly just transition away from fossil fuels is extraordinarily challenging, and many extracted communities were never whole to begin with. I argue CBOs are the crucial vehicle …