Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Patient-Physician Communication As A Form Of Mutual Persuasion Using The Conversational Argument Coding Scheme, Pritam Kanthala

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Communication between the patient and the physician in clinical encounters has traditionally been considered a passive interaction on the side of the patient, whereby the healthcare provider examines the patient's condition and circumstances, evaluates the situation, and prescribes a certain treatment plan or procedural solution that will heal the patient's ailment. However, recent research and fundamental communications understanding strongly emphasizes that effective communication is a two-way endeavor that ideally should involve input and insight from both sides of the conversation. Treating all clinical interactions as a one-way didactic experience where a provider usually goes through a checklist of commonalities would …

Analysis Of Lepilemur Edwardsi Seasonal Acoustic Activity, Samantha Henry

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) has historically been used as a noninvasive technique to study biodiversity, activity patterns, distribution, and species dispersal. The use of acoustic data has expanded in ecological research; however, studies focusing on primates are underrepresented, especially for nocturnal species. This study seeks to increase the understanding of acoustic activity in the nocturnal Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi). This species is endangered and endemic to the lowland dry forests in northwest Madagascar. Specifically, this study aims to describe the daily and annual acoustic activity patterns of the L. edwardsi. The PAM survey was conducted using …

Propaganda, Criticism, And War: A Study Of Regime Criticism By Propagandists In War, Jack C. Seay

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper investigates when propagandists criticize their country's war effort, examining instances where propagandists openly criticize the regimes they are expected to support during an armed conflict. This is a unique and relatively unexplored angle on propaganda, differing from widespread research on the range of effects that propaganda has on a target population, the reasons behind using propaganda on a target population, and the methods propagandists use to raise support for a political authority. Understanding when propagandists criticize their country's war effort can mitigate their influence by helping audiences identify when and how propagandists use criticism to their advantage. The …

Examining The Use Of Digital Tools To Facilitate Multilingual Patient-Physician Communication: A Scoping Review, Esha V. Ghosalkar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The United States healthcare system cares for and supports a diverse patient population. Patients come from various ethnic backgrounds, speak different languages, hold distinct religious affiliations, and more. These differences can create a chasm in the patient-provider relationship, impacting the quality of care or health outcomes. Specifically, language-discordance can affect patient-provider communication; however, technological interventions, such as access to electronic medical record tools and digital translators, can facilitate this dyadic communication. This scoping review examines the literature present on the use of digital tools to facilitate multilingual patient-provider communication. The initial search in PubMed with MeSH terms resulted in 531 …

Radio Vs. Streaming Services: Exploring How Radio Is Facing Competition, Kyra L. Allen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

With the increasing number of online streaming services available in the world, it is astounding to note how radio is still around maintaining excellent ratings and listener interaction. It is essential to analyze the media industry, and while there are many outlets a person is capable of accessing music, people still turn to their local radio. The literature indicates how the business of radio still exists with the primary competition of today.

The study includes interviews from twelve radio professionals at Cox Media Group (CMG) Orlando, the home of seven different format radio stations. All interviewees hold a range of …

Gender Negotiation Among People In Poly/Consensual Non-Monogamous Relationships, Vanessa Rijo - Sánchez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the United States, people are encouraged and even coerced by social forces to behave and interact according to rigid social mores that tend to privilege individuals from a specific gender, racial, and class backgrounds. As many theorists have stated, sexual, gender, and racial minorities navigate their lives experiencing oppression at different levels and at the intersections of different systems of inequality. The marginal social location of these identities often results in people re-defining the social meanings through which they construct their social lives. Although much research has been devoted to investigating the different ways in which people resist the …

A Content Analysis Of Jihadist Magazines: Theoretical Perspectives, Catalina M. Udani

Honors Undergraduate Theses

During its violent spread across the Middle East, the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) amassed both a local and international following in large part due to its usage of emergent media distribution. Beginning in 2014, ISIS’s Ministry of Media published an English-language magazine, Dabiq, disseminating its issues through online platforms. Dabiq and its successor Rumiyah both serve as propagandistic recruitment material for ISIS’s international community as well as broadcasting the message of the jihadist movement to ISIS’s enemies. This study analyzed ISIS’s publications using a qualitative content analysis in order to identify jihadist recruitment strategies through the perspectives …

The Effect Of Controlling Messages On Doctor-Patient Communication, Kayla A. Ladez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The doctor-patient relationship is a very important aspect of a patient's health and wellbeing. It is a complex relationship that requires trust and understanding by both parties. Doctor shopping and changes in technology that allow patients to independently learn about their health have further complicated this relationship. This study looks at how participants perceive controlling language depending on the gender of the doctor. Participants were 339 University of Central Florida undergraduate students (112 men and 227 women, age M= 19.29, SD = 3.60) recruited through SONA. Participants first listened to a recording of a male or female doctor speaking to …

Nurse Perceived Barriers To Effective Nurse-Client Communication, Sara J. Brandenburg

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Successful client care depends on effective nurse-client communication. It is essential in meeting clients' needs, providing quality care, and maximizing positive client outcomes. The intent of this thesis was to explore nurse perceived barriers to effective nurse-client communication. A literature review was conducted and nine articles were identified as addressing nurse perceived barriers to communication. Four major barriers were identified: nurse comfort and knowledge, environment, time, and culture and language. Research on interventions to address nurses' perceptions of barriers to effective nurse-client communication may provide a better understanding of communication barriers and address issues created by ineffective communication with clients.

Dog Ownership As A Catalyst Of Conflict And Relationship Maintenance In Romantic Relationships, Ashley Elrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pets are a common aspect of life for many Americans. In 2012, 36.5% of American household owned dogs and 30.4% owned cats (American Veterinary Medical Foundation, 2012). The purpose on this study was to explore the influence of dog ownership on romantic relationships. Specifically, this thesis investigates how dog ownership acts as a catalyst of relational maintenance and conflict behavior in interactions about the couple's dog. No prior research has been conducted on the role dogs' play in enacting relational maintenance or conflict in romantic relationships, so it is unclear if there is an influence to the these behaviors. This …

An Exploration Of Communication Perceptions Between Elementary School Staff And The Parents Of The Children They Serve, Cynthia Gardner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to explore the perceived school communication between elementary school staff and the parents of the children they serve. Staff members and parents, from a central Florida public school district, in both Title I and Non-Title I schools completed an online survey regarding (1) timely school communication, (2) school's website being informative and easy to use, and (3) staff members knowing what is going on in schools. Researchers have long explored the importance of family involvement in children's academic success, communication between home and school is an important link in the process. The …

Talking Back: Mathematics Teachers Supporting Students' Engagement In A Common Core Standard For Mathematical Practice: A Case Study, Mercedes Sotillo Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher in this case study sought to determine the ways in which teachers support their students to create viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others (SMP3). In order to achieve this goal, the self-conceived classroom roles of two teachers, one experienced and one novice, were elicited and then compared to their actualized roles observed in the classroom. Both teachers were provided with professional development focused on supporting student engagement in SMP3. This professional development was informed by the guidelines that describe the behaviors students should exhibit as they are engaged in the standards for mathematical practice contained in …

Hidden In Plain Sight: Development And Testing Of A Model To Evaluate Political Leadership Tactics, Albert Citron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the kinds of verbal and nonverbal signals elites manifest to show leadership qualities. Launching from Max Weber’s conceptual framework of charisma as a power term and Harold Lasswell’s study of propaganda, this study takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying political leadership with elements of communication methodology and an ontological basis in evolutionary psychology. The study’s goal is to offer a framework for defining and evaluating the diverse signal patterns employed by political elites in three real-life situations. These are the Malta Summit, the 1992 Virginia Presidential Debate, and the 2012 South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary. The cases …

How Emoticons Affect Leader-Member Exchange, Jennifer Loglia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emoticons have been shown to be the nonverbal cues of computer-mediated communication and could therefore be a rich source of information, but they are not used in the workplace because they are considered unprofessional. This study aimed to look at the effects of emoticons on relationships, specifically between a leader and member. Participants were asked to read a fake email from a fake boss and answer several questions in regard to leader-member exchange, affective presence, perceived message positivity, perceived masculinity/femininity of the fake boss, and perceived professionalism. This study found that the use of a positive emoticon in an email …

An Investigation Of Boaters' Attitudes Toward And Usage Of Targeted Mobile Apps, Kamra Bowerman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand boaters’ adoption and usage of smartphones and mobile apps as well as to obtain their opinion on potential features of a targeted mobile app being developed as part of a broader interdisciplinary Florida Sea Grant outreach project. Data were gathered from an online survey of a sample of 164 boaters from the surrounding Central Florida area. In contrast with previous empirical mobile app studies, many respondents reported using mobile apps for information-seeking versus escape gratifications. Further more than half of the respondents’ age sixty-five and over indicated using smartphones and mobile apps. …

Meme World Syndrome: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of The First World Problems And Third World Success Internet Memes, Robert Chandler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis applies the theory and method of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine the ideological components of the First World Problems (FWP) and Third World Success (TWS) Internet memes. Drawing on analytical concepts from CDA and related perspectives, such as multimodal discourse analysis and social semiotics, the paper analyzes the visual and textual elements of a sample of the FWP and TWS memes. The paper argues that the text and images featured in the memes are ideologically salient and discursively construct oppositional binaries between “us” and “them” in terms of wealth disparity.

Performing Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years: An Exercise In Communication On Stage And Off, David Z. Sucharski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Communication, in its most basic sense, is foundational for any personal, human interaction and relationship. As theatre artists, we are charged with communicating complex story lines, conceptual ideas, and emotion to an audience. Sound communication is paramount to every aspect of a musical production, be it communication between actors/characters, actor and director, amongst the production team, and arguable the most important, between the actors and the audience. My years of education as a Masters in Fine Arts candidate in Musical Theatre have been spent polishing my ability to communicate physical and emotional choices with greater accuracy, depth, and truth. By …

Between Words: Popular Culture And The Rise Of Print In Seventeenth Century England, Christie Schneck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Seventeenth century England was forced to come to terms with events such as the Civil War and the regicide of King Charles I, in the midst of contending with the cultural changes brought upon by print culture, the effects of which appeared throughout all aspects of English society. These changes helped form a relationship between print and oral culture, one of negotiation among the producers and regulators of work and the society consuming the works. The discussion of this negotiation has led to varying conclusions concerning the true impact of printed materials on English society and culture, all of which …

Examining Gender In Pharmaceutical Rhetoric Through A Cultural Studies Lens: A Case Study On The Gardasil Vaccine, Jennifer Fickley-Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On June 8, 2006, Merck announced the debut of Gardasil, the world's first vaccine found successful in preventing human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, a sexually transmitted infection that is one of the main causes of certain cancers in men and women, including cervical, vulvar, penile and anal cancers. To promote the vaccine's release, Merck launched Gardasil's "One Less" advertising campaign that included television commercials, print ads and a consumerfocused website (www.Gardasil.com), each promoting the message that "you" could now be "one less woman" affected by cervical cancer ("One Less" campaign). The vaccine, tested and approved only for females age 9-26, was …

Keeping Church Goers Motivated: Church Worship Communication Study, Anne Trelstad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

At a time when mainline Protestant churches in America are concerned with stagnant or declining worship attendance (Duin, 2008) a better understanding of worshippers' motivations could help church leaders plan and create positive worship experiences (Katt & Trelstad, 2009). This study extends the scope of the previous research of Katt and Trelstad by employing a larger sample of purposively selected churches. It attempts to more clearly answer the following question more clearly: What types of incidents serve as motivator and de-motivator factors in the church worship service setting? A sample of 105 church members from thirty-eight churches participated in a …

Academic Engagement Through Experiential Learning: Building Transferable Skills Within Undergraduate Education, Shara Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Presently, there is a national focus on the industry-benefitting skills developed through undergraduate education. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of an experiential learning course on building three ability-based transferable skills: communication, emotional intelligence, and professional qualities. These skills have been determined to be important components to the skill set of graduates intending to enter any career, including one within the hospitality industry. Results from an examination of three related instruments led to conclusions that an experiential learning course positively impacts self-perceived skill development among the three aforementioned skills as well as perception of overall performance. …

Writes Of Spring A Study Of Communication Within Collective Devising, Jennifer Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Communication is a pivotal element in creating theatre with other artists, with audiences, and with the outside world. Theatre artists are required to collaborate at nearly every step of the process. Despite the necessity of highly developed collaboration skills, communication in the creation of theatre is an often-underdeveloped curriculum area. As a Director and Teaching Artist I am particularly interested in how to find new ways of collaborating so I may model and pass these skills to my students. Through a qualitative research survey of communication used in collaborative devising, this research analyzes environments that improve communication and allow for …

Comparing Media Coverage Of The Gulf Oil Spill In The Us And Uk Implications For Global Crisis Communication, Sarah Crytzer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The following research is a content analysis of 114 articles written by the American and British news media outlets in the first month following the BP Gulf oil spill in April 2010. The goal of the research was to identify any dominant frames evident in the reports and to compare the two countries to see if there was a difference in the dominant frames used. Positive, negative, and neutral tones were also evaluated to determine if there was a difference between the countries. The results show that both countries reports predominantly used an ecology and action frame, while British media …

A Qualitative Investigation Of Adolescent Females' Use Of Social Networking Websites, Janine Pate

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present study was to explore the ways adolescent females, age 14 through 17, utilized social networking websites such as MySpace and Facebook for communication, self-presentation and identity development purposes. Uses and gratifications theory served as a framework for identifying the participants' motivations for heavily using these websites, which allow users to post pictures, interests and updates for their friends to view and interact with online. Using a qualitative method, one preliminary focus group and ten in-depth interviews were conducted, totaling fifteen female participants between the ages of 14 and 17. Interview questions covered topics such as …

Increasing Parental Awareness And Monitoring: The Development And Evaluation Of A Web-Based Program To Empower Parents To Reduce, Pamela Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parent attitudes about underage alcohol use and parent monitoring of the activities of their adolescent children have been found to be directly related to the likelihood of underage alcohol use. Unfortunately, there are relatively few programs or resources available to parents to assist them to reduce their children's potential for early and problematic alcohol involvement. In an effort to address this need, the present project entailed the development and evaluation of a web-based psychoeducational program entitled, Increasing Parental Awareness and Monitoring (iPAM). This online program begins to fill the gap in effective and convenient programming focused on development of parent …

Jealousy And Attachment 2.0: The Role Of Attachment In The Expression And Experience Of Jealousy On Facebook, Megan Cole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main objective of this research was to investigate how people use Facebook within the context of their romantic relationships from an attachment theory perspective. In the present study, a convenience sample (n = 179) completed an online survey with questions about Facebook use, attachment style, uncertainty-related behaviors, jealousy, relationship satisfaction and commitment. Results indicate that 1) there is a positive correlation between jealousy and Facebook use; 2) also, there is a positive correlation between jealousy and the time an individual spends viewing their partner's profile; 3) further, jealousy is positively related to uncertainty-reducing behaviors. Taken together, these results support …

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (Mems) And Agile Lensing-Based Modules For Communications, Sensing And Signal Processing., Syed Reza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation proposes the use of the emerging Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and agile lensing optical device technologies to design novel and powerful signal conditioning and sensing modules for advanced applications in optical communications, physical parameter sensing and RF/optical signal processing. For example, these new module designs have experimentally demonstrated exceptional features such as stable loss broadband operations and high > 60 dB optical dynamic range signal filtering capabilities. The first part of the dissertation describes the design and demonstration of digital MEMS-based signal processing modules for communication systems and sensor networks using the TI DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology. Examples of …

What Do We Know About Interpersonal Skills? A Meta-Analytic Examination Of Antecedents, Outcomes, And The Efficacy Of Training, Cameron Klein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite extensive statements about the importance of possessing good interpersonal skills, little quantitative evidence has been brought forth to investigate these claims. At the same time, training in soft, or interpersonal, skills continues for organizational managers, customer service representatives, and members of formal work teams. Based on these considerations, the current research was guided by five broad questions. First, are gender and the Big Five personality variables important predictors in the use and effectiveness of interpersonal skills? Second, what is the relationship between various interpersonal skills and important personal and workplace outcomes? Third, given that training in interpersonal skills is …

Brothers & Sisters: A New Impetus For Social Construction And Its Impact On Traditional Cultivation Analysis, Scott Elmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Scholars recognize television's ability to influence culture. According to Gerbner, television creates socially constructed realities through the cultivation of its viewers. Television is designed to satisfy the diverse needs of large audiences. The mainstream messages conveyed via television have power to alter perceptions and change culture. Gerbner's theory was constructed from the analysis of crime dramas with single plot lines. Using the ABC television program Brothers & Sisters, this thesis explores the theoretical implications dramas with multiple plot lines have on traditional notions of cultivation theory. Through a content analysis and focus groups, evidence was acquired to suggest that cultivation …

Development Of Seventh Grade Pre-Algebra Students' Mathematical Problem Solving Through Written Explanations And Justificati, Rebecca Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this action research, the interactions of seventh grade pre-algebra students in a mathematics classroom shared their explanation and justification processes through group work. Prior to the start of the study students were given a written pre-test to determine current conceptual thinking in mathematics. Over the next nine weeks, the teacher engaged the students in problem solving activities that included reasoning skills, communication and making connections through discussion with their peers. Following nine weeks of written and verbal discourse, students were provided a post-test to determine changes in their conceptual thinking. Overall students' grades, journal writings and test scores showed …