Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Fantastic Trolls And Where To Find Them: Problem Framing In The Defense Against The Informational Dark Arts, Jayson M. Warren

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In the wake of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the notion of state-sponsored trolls engaging in information operations on social media has captured the attention of society. Yet eight years after this policymaking focusing event, sustainable solutions prove elusive and there is still much that is not known about the underlying phenomenon. This dissertation is part explanatory and part exploratory in its attempts to answer the overarching research question: What is the Relationship Between How the Problem of State-Sponsored Trolls on Social Media is Framed & the Way U.S. Federal Policy Attempts to Solve It? Using …

Presence Of Other People In Urban Parks: Exploring Psychological Effects Using Virtual Reality, Eye Tracking, And Qualitative Methods, Shuai Yuan

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Urban parks are essential public spaces that provide numerous benefits, but the presence of others can significantly influence these benefits. This dissertation explores the complex and context-dependent effects of the presence of other people on urban park experiences by drawing on diverse disciplinary perspectives and employing multiple methodological approaches, including theoretical synthesis, virtual reality, eye tracking, and qualitative methods.

Chapter 2 develops a comprehensive theoretical framework that bridges social psychology, environmental psychology, and practice-based fields. It categorizes the impacts of the presence of others on park users' experiences into perceptual, behavioral, cognitive-emotional, and symbolic domains. Chapter 3 utilizes virtual reality …

Cyber Threats, Cyber Risks, And Cybersecurity Responses: Modeling Whole-Of-Nation Strategy Implementation For American Organizations And Citizens, Vincent Leon Guerrero

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Amid a landscape of cyber attacks on America occurring below the threshold of armed conflict, strategic national policy efforts recommend a whole-of-nation approach where individuals and public and private organizations increase their defensive posture in cyberspace. Motivation to address the risk of a cyber event includes a continuum of cyber threats that can range from low-level disruptive events to cybercrime and cyber espionage to the possibility of a potentially catastrophic attack on critical infrastructure. In this dissertation, I conduct a survey experiment of various cyber threat conditions and cyber policies to model cybersecurity responses, risk perceptions to a possible cyber …

Policy Solutions For Juvenile Cyber-Deviant Behaviors: Insights From Criminological Theory, Holly Verity Williams

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The aim of this thesis is to develop a deeper understanding of online deviance as a phenomenon among juveniles, both in terms of engagement and victimization, by applying Attachment Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Self-Control Theory. Throughout the literature, Attachment Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Self-Control Theory have been attributed as key criminological theories in the explanation of juvenile deviance offline, but little research has been applied to online deviance in this way. This thesis seeks to apply the same criminological theories to the phenomenon of online deviance among juveniles and compare outcomes to both online and offline deviance among …

Examining Policy Diffusion Mechanisms In The Contemporary Local Government Landscape Of A Politically Polarized United States, Jacob Mccauley

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This dissertation explores the nuanced relationship between political polarization and policy diffusion within local governments in the United States, a topic of considerable relevance given the country’s increasing political divide. By examining the diffusion of COVID-19 policies, historical marker modifications, and the implementation of eGovernment services, this research identifies a novel mechanism of policy diffusion that is significantly influenced by political party lines. The study employs a comprehensive methodological approach, incorporating case studies and quantitative analysis to examine policy implementation across politically diverse local governments. The findings reveal that political affiliation profoundly impacts policy choices, with distinct patterns of policy …

Understanding Job Satisfaction In The National Park Service, The Needs Of Black Employees, And The Decision-Making Of Managers, Akiebia Hicks

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According to the 2020 U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, the National Park Service (NPS) was ranked the 353rd best place to work out of the 411 government agencies surveyed, with an engagement score of 61.3%, which was lower than the 69.0% average amongst government agencies. This survey is performed annually and asks employees to score their employer in the following categories: leadership, empowerment, pay, teamwork, innovation, recognition, response to COVID-19, and work-life balance. The scores are divided by a quartile key. In every category except “innovation,” the NPS landed in the lower quartile, causing the need …

Three Essays About Preventing Mental And Behavioral Disorders, Snehal Lopes

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Prevention efforts in the public health field operate at various levels, including primary prevention among those without a disease of interest, secondary prevention among persons at high risk or showing early signs of the disease, and tertiary prevention among persons with the disease. The three essays presented in this dissertation are centered around the theme of prevention, and taken together, have implications for prevention at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Specifically, the essays focus on the prevention of depressive disorders and the prevention of behavioral and mental health correlates for depression in the context of various populations (general adult, …

Public Policy, Economic Development, And Taxes: An Impact Analysis Of Business Incentive Strategies At The State And Local Level, Richard Nanney

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In an effort to promote economic development, state-level policymakers have exercised discretion over the use of public money to incentivize subsidy packages for decades. Estimates suggest state governments spend approximately $50 billion annually on these initiatives. However, there has been little empirical research about the political and economic benefits received by local residents from these subsidy programs. This dissertation analyzes the effectiveness of state subsidy policy by considering induced economic spillover effects and population attrition rates. It examines how subsidy distribution is related to employment rates, average weekly wages, and population attrition. The project offers two methodological innovations. First, to …

Allegories And Alleles: A Narrative Policy Framework Analysis Of The Debate Over Animal Bioengineering, Betsy Presgraves

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With the USDA’s recent takeover of animal bioengineering regulation, public comments have been reopened about the issue, with the Biden administration seeking more information about public opinion. The debate over U.S. regulation has raged for decades with a pro-genetic modification coalition seeking more efficient approvals and the anti-genetic modification coalition seeking labelling, more open and strict approval processes, and even outright bans. Each side has employed a variety of communication approaches, chief among them the use of narrative.

This study aims to determine how narrative structures affect this debate. Using the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF), I seek to examine this …

The Delaware River Basin Compact: A Case Study In Successful Transboundary Water Resource Management, Cindy Gorze Roper

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Worldwide, water resources are undergoing rapid changes emerging from both man-made and natural factors. Increasing demands for water for agriculture, industry, power generation, and domestic use combined with more intense and variable weather patterns are negatively affecting water availability and escalating the potential for conflict between entities sharing these critical resources.

This study examines the Delaware River Basin federal-interstate compact to determine how these agreements provide a means by which several competing states can develop and implement an effective regional governance system. Using a grounded theory case study approach, it uses documents, surveys, and interviews to examine how the Compact …

Managing The Environmental Crisis Amidst A Health Crisis: An Exploratory Study Of Alternative Sustainable Strategies For Tourism Destinations, Lauren Townson

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The responsibility of protecting the natural environment, and limiting the negative environmental impacts, often falls on the local community (Streimikiene et al., 2021). The impact of communities relying more on the tourism industry as an economic driver for continued development (Streimikiene et al., 2021) is of special interest to this dissertation as the United States (U.S.) manages the COVID-19 global pandemic. Tourism can both locally benefit a community and its residents, while simultaneously contribute to global environmental impacts (Gössling & Hall, 2006). As destinations attract more visitors into a physical space, data continues to reveal the continued destruction of natural …

“You Can’T Hide Behind Being A House”: Examining The Policy Process, Design, And Implementation Of Short-Term Rental Regulations, A Case Study Of Nashville, Tn, Jamie L. Cathey

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Following the economic crash of 2008, the rapid expansion of platform capitalism and the recruitment of others to work for themselves using a company’s platform, has led to a ‘paradigm shift’ in which a sharing economy business model has enabled small entrepreneurial endeavors to become industry giants (Srnricek, 2017). One such platform, Airbnb, has created a new, informal tourism accommodation sector that is bringing with it questions of regulation and community impact. Airbnb regulation thus is a growing national and international trend affecting cities of all sizes and forcing policy response and change at the local government level. Current trends …

An Investigation Of The Applicability Of The Uses And Gratifications Theory For Providing Insight Into E-Tourists’ Use Of Smartphones, Jang-Won Moon

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Despite the previous smartphone research in the context of travel and tourism, there is limited research based on a strong theoretical background that seeks to understand how tourists are motivated and satisfied via smartphone use. This study extended previous studies by systematically investigating and quantitatively measuring how and to what extent tourists are gratified (satisfied) by the use of smartphones during their trips based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory.

According to this theory, individuals choose a media platform with the anticipation that it will aid them in realizing a specific intention, the satisfaction of this need being referred to …

The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Psychosocial Health In Adolescent Girls And Their Mothers, Kellie Walters

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In most western countries, obesity and sedentary behavior are a major health concern. Research demonstrates a clear connection between one’s physical and emotional health (e.g., body image) and as such, many community programs now focus on the “whole person” rather than just physical wellbeing. When looking at the population as a whole, the most health disparate group is adolescent girls. Compared to any other cohort, adolescent girls are the most sedentary, obese, and likely to suffer from psychosocial distress such as anxiety and/or depression. As a result, there is a need for further research into adolescent girls’ physical and emotional …

A Framework For Designing Of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Network, Shengyin Li

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The lack of sufficient public charging stations for electric vehicles has long been recognized as a major hinder for massive adoption of electric vehicles (EV). This dissertation aims to develop a framework for designing charging station infrastructure networks that electric vehicle with limited travel range can be recharge en-route to complete trips to destinations and then would facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles. The rest part of this dissertation is concerned with modeling travel range of electric vehicle and users behavior of deviating from their most preferred routes when siting charging stations. The proposed multi-path refueling location model provides the …

Examining The Space-Time Constraints Concept On Tourist Behavior For Visitors To The South Carolina Coastal Area Of The United States, Sanghoon Kang

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This dissertation explored three themes with regard to the spatial aspects of tourist behavior, conducting three independent analyses. For these analyses, this dissertation research adapted Shoval's (2012) definition of the space-time constraints concept developed by Hagerstrand (1970): the purpose of trip (i.e., authority constraints), the length of visit (i.e., capability constraints), and the composition of travel party (i.e., coupling constraints). The purposes of the three analyses were to examine the relationships 1) between the space-time constraints and the spatial patterns of travel; 2) between ICT use (i.e., smartphones) and the spatial patterns of travel, space-time constraints, tourists' unplanned destination visits, …

Soviet Launch Of Sputnik: Sputnik-Inspired Educational Reform And Changes In Private Returns In America, Hyeonggu Cha

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On October 4th 1957, the Soviet Union launched the world’s first man-made satellite, Sputnik 1, into an elliptical low Earth orbit. This surprise triggered an arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, and science-oriented educational reform in the U.S. The Sputnik swung off of the U.S. in military, politics, policies, and education. The Sputnik woke Americans up from complacency came from technology, science, and educational superiority. Educational reform started with emphasizing science and defense education and it was expanded to educations at all level. Early reforms, National Science Foundation (NSF), National Defense Education Act (NDEA) of 1958, …

Leisure, Obesity And Weight Loss: An Exploration Of Leisure, The Public Health Ecological Model Of Obesity And Identity Theory, Weber Player

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Obesity is a global health crisis with complex causal relationships. From the mid 1990s to 2010, obesity related research in the clinical and social sciences has exploded. This expansion has resulted in a proliferation of obesity-related articles published in top-tier journals and the creation of new journals solely devoted to obesity research. In contrast within leisure scholarship, a review of leisure journals reveals that published research on the relationship of leisure, obesity and weight loss is minimal. However, numerous leisure scholarship/theory principles are relevant to obesity prevention and treatment. Similarly, public health officials have developed numerous systems-oriented multilevel framework models …

Entrepreneurship, Creativity, And Local Food Systems: Essays On Regional Economic Development In South Carolina, Kristen Lientz

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Within the existing economic development literature, there is a well-established linkage between the presence of skilled human capital and economic growth. A subset of this literature has focused on the role that a specific type of skilled human capital, known as the “creative class,” may play in facilitating regional economic development. This dissertation builds upon the existing creative class literature by examining the factors that have attracted the creative class to the state of South Carolina. In addition, this research gives special attention to the entrepreneurial activities of creative class professionals who engage in small-scale farming. Recent interest surrounding the …

Administrative Relationships, Agency Theory, And The Summer Work Travel Program: 2012-2013, Mark Reardon

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This study discusses the ability of the Summer Work Travel Program (SWTP) to meet the objectives outlined in its authorizing legislation, the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. These goals include educational exchange between participants and the U.S. community, cultural exchange between participants and the U.S. community, and the promotion of peace exemplified by SWTP operators and the U.S. community. The study adopts agency and transaction cost theory to guide its discussion of the administrative relationship between the U.S. State Department and those designated as Summer Work Travel Sponsors. This study's findings include instances of informational and preference …

An Embedded Case Study Of The Proposed Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Statute & The Proposed Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Statute, James Vines

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The purpose of this explanatory, embedded case study was to understand why the proposed Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention statute and the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment statute did not passed. The data for the study was conducted through direct observations of congressional committee hearings, document analysis and open-ended interviews. The proposed Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention statute addresses cyberbullying by imposing criminal sanctions. The proposed Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Statute seeks to provide federal grants to institutions of higher education to implement anti-harassment programs. The findings revealed that vague terminology, language dealing with LGBT people and sexual orientation as well …

Assessment Of The Effect Of Sustainability Practices On Financial Leakage In The Hotel Industry In Jordan, Nidal Alzboun

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ABSTRACT Tourism revenues are not an accurate indication of the financial impact of this industry because in some cases a proportion of the profits leaves the host country for various reasons, resulting in what is referred to as leakage. The research reported here investigates this issue in connection with the sustainability practices of hotels in Jordan, one of the strategies firms and governments can adopt to enhance performance and to address problems related to environmental, community, and economic development adding a novel contribution to the tourism literature. A mixed method approach was used to collect and analyze the data obtained …

Sustainable Heritage Tourism: A Tourist-Oriented Approach For Managing Petra Archaeological Park, Jordan, Mohammad Alazaizeh

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Although sustainability of heritage tourism has become a major concern from the perspectives of both academics and practitioners, the majority of research and studies have tended to understand the cultural and educational issues of heritage tourism rather than focusing on the application of sustainability in a practical context. To achieve sustainability in heritage tourism, heritage sites should be managed effectively in a way that ensures preservation of heritage resources and provides quality experiences to the tourists. Traditionally, heritage tourism planning and management relied on a top-down, professional-led approach that ignores the interests of different stakeholders (e.g., heritage tourists) in heritage …

Georgia's Water Policymaking Process And The Role Of Public Participation: Development And Analysis Of A Water Planning Process Evaluation Framework, Anna Eskridge

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This study analyzes the public's role in the regional water planning process that took place in the State of Georgia from 2009 to 2011. Specifically, this dissertation analyzes the extent to which a 'consensus-based' water planning process occurred by 1) examining the public participation plans that governed how the public was to contribute to the plan and policy formation, and 2) analyzing the public comments that were submitted at public meetings and commenting periods. By examining the participation plans and public comments, this study revealed the institutional, policy, legislative, and planning structures that influenced public participation in the regional water …

Rebuilding Social Organization In Low-Income Neighborhoods: The Influence Of Habitat For Humanity, John Lattimore

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Research has linked neighborhoods of concentrated poverty with high crime, low employment, poor health, and low educational achievement. Because of these linkages, federal housing policy over the past few decades has often tried to 'deconcentrate' or disperse the poor from these neighborhoods into more affluent neighborhoods with the hope that better institutions and better neighbors will motivate these families to improve their lives. However research on large mobility programs such as Gautreaux and Moving to Opportunity (MTO), has found mostly mixed results and criticized the programs for having a small impact. Race and income have also proven to be significant …

Development And Application Of A Nostalgia Scale For Sport Tourism: A Multilevel Approach, Heetae Cho

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Nostalgia is best described as a sentimental and bittersweet yearning for a positive and pleasant past, particularly when juxtaposed with an unsatisfying present and uncertain future. One's positive memories surely influence the evocation of nostalgia, and an individual's negative feelings for the present or future are also related to nostalgia, since a person cannot return to the past. In other words, both positive and negative feelings are associated with nostalgia, and it is called a bittersweet emotion. In many cases, people are influenced by their past memories when they decide to attend sports events. As a result, individuals have their …

A Content Analysis Of Implicit Legislator Discourses Within The Passage Of The South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act (2008): Implications For Opportunity And Access To Higher Education, Katie Smith

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On June 4, 2008, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford signed the South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act into law. According to the Act (Section 59-101-430), 'an alien unlawfully present in the United States is not eligible to attend a public institution of higher learning in [South Carolina]'. After the passage of this legislation, public colleges and universities in South Carolina were prohibited from enrolling (or reenrolling) undocumented immigrants as students, and are now required to verify the legal status of all students, through the federal e-verify system. This legislation represents a true limiting of higher education opportunities, as well as …

Investigating The Influence Of Interpretation On Children's National Park Stewardship Behaviors Using The Elaboration Likelihood Model, Susan Vezeau

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Interpretation efforts are commonly used in park and protected area management to communicate information about a place to visitors, and in some cases, are also intended to persuade visitors to engage in stewardship behaviors. The National Park Service (NPS) Junior Rangers (JR) programs are intended to develop a sense of stewardship within participating children; however, few studies have explored the effectiveness of these programs. In addition, despite considerable research investigating interpretation and its influence, further exploration of the factors that influence stewardship behaviors in participants of interpretation are needed. The purpose of this Dissertation research was to: 1) develop scales …

An Examination Of Service Quality And Satisfaction In A Religious Tourism Setting, Mohamed Darfoon

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Since the beginning of time, people have traveled far and wide seeking to gain affirmation of their faith, and to honor the lands where their religious beliefs originated. Faith tourism, or religious tourism, is a pilgrimage that is exclusively or strongly motivated by religious reasons. The pilgrimage to Mecca, known as Hajj, is an Islamic pilgrimage where Muslims travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to attend one of the largest religious events in the world, with participation from about 3 million people on certain days every year. Despite its spiritual and economic importance, little attention has been paid to Hajj …

Integrating Spatial Modeling Into Recreational Planning In Parks And Protected Areas, John Beeco

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Understanding the utility of space in natural area resources is of growing importance as recreation in these areas increases and availability of land remains stagnant. Space utility is of particular importance to multiple use forests which may have multiple recreation demands, minimum acceptable levels of biophysical impacts, sensitive ecological areas, and/or timber harvesting and mineral extraction strategies for the generation of revenue. In order to holistically consider space and protected area management, three factors must be better understood: a) methods and spatial analysis tools that can help with managerial and planning decisions, b) how space affects the relationship between use …