Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

V. 77, Issue 8, November 13, 2009

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Obesity On State Health Care Expenditures: An Empirical Analysis, Kristen Collins

Honors Projects in Economics

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of obesity rates on per capita state health care expenditures. A two-stage least square regression model is used. In the first stage of the estimation, factors influencing obesity rates are determined. The determinants of obesity rates are outlined throughout the research process. In the second stage, the impact of obesity rates on per capita health expenditures across states is evaluated. The empirical results indicate that obesity rates do indeed have a direct effect on state health care expenditures. After reviewing the project’s results, various solutions are proposed as possible methods …

Japanese Players In Major League Baseball: An Econometric Analysis Of Labor Discrimination, Kyle Audet

Honors Projects in Economics

In recent years, Major League Baseball (MLB) teams have increasingly drawn talent from the international market. This study employs econometric techniques to test the various labor discrimination issues facing Japanese players playing in America’s MLB. There have been remarkably few studies focusing on Japanese players in MLB. Data from the 1995 to 2007 season has been analyzed. High degrees of discriminatory pay scales are found for Japanese pitchers. The findings suggest that Japanese batters do not face such pay discrimination. Positional discrimination has also been the subject of investigation. Japanese players are found to be disproportionally pitchers. Suggestions for future …

What Determines Leadership Style?, Apryl Silva

Honors Projects in History and Social Sciences

This project examines selected traits valued in friends by educated individuals, and it seeks to determine if these valued traits vary by gender, race, and generational cohort. A literature review reveals that variations in leadership attributes are evident among these traits. In order to test the broad applicability of this literature, data were taken from the General Social Survey (GSS). The key analyses center on correlations between gender, race, and cohort, on the one hand, and the selected valued traits identified with effective leadership on the other. In some cases, the literature yields weak hypotheses, and in other cases the …

Gender Advertisements: Replication Of A Classic Work Examining Women, Magazines, And Facebook Photographs, Erica Lawton

Honors Projects in Communication

In 1979, Erving Goffman published Gender Advertisements, the seminal work in critiquing gender displays in advertising. Goffman noted seven major phenomena that demonstrated the cultural infantilization of women and their ritualized subordination in advertisements. This study, conducted in Goffman’s phenomenological tradition, investigates modern commercial advertisements to update Goffman’s work and determine the presence of a new phenomenon, the mechanization of women. Advertisements were collected and studied based on Goffman’s five coding categories: relative size, feminine touch, function ranking, ritualization of subordination, and licensed withdrawal. In addition, Facebook photographs were analyzed based on the same coding categories to find whether women …

Gender Advertisements: Replication Of A Classic Work Examining Women’S Portrayal In Magazines And Family Photographs, Kristen Brekne

Honors Projects in Communication

In 1979, Erving Goffman, produced the classic work, Gender Advertisements, in response to the era of feminism. Goffman then arranged his findings “with malice” into seven categories in order to demonstrate to others the apparent infantalization and subordination of women he saw present in advertising. My study is a replication of Goffman’s research designed to see if thirty years of feminism and cultural enlightenment have changed the way women are displayed in magazine advertisements. My method is grounded in phenomenology and like Goffman’s original, foregoes a random sample of advertisements in favor of a deeper understanding of the phenomenon in …

Icann, Cultural Imperialism, And Democratization Of Internet Governance, Brian Gailey

Honors Projects in Communication

Internet Governance has largely been managed by the United States government since its burgeoning in the 1990’s. The government has since entrusted and charged internet technical tasks and functions to ICANN. The organization along with the United States government has been the subject of heavy criticism for its inadequate international representation. Many interpret US hegemony over the internet as culturally imperialistic. The following paper explores the some of the advantages and disadvantages to multilateral Internet governance. Firstly, it will evaluate ICANN’s ability to both democratize their internal decision-making and internationalize the web by better serving foreign Internet end-users. Next, the …

How Do Young Workers Prepare For Retirement?, Jenna Greco

Honors Projects in Economics

The Millennial Generation is defined as those ages 15-30 in 2009 and is comprised of 80 million individuals (Elswick, 2004). This study explores how a segment of this generation, young workers between the ages of 18-30, is currently saving for retirement given the unprecedented economic challenges they face. These challenges include rising everyday expenses, record amounts of student loan and credit card debt, as well as how they will prepare for retirement given the uncertainty surrounding Social Security. The purpose of this study is to evaluate young workers current financial situation, retirement plans, and retirement expectations. Using data collected from …

Macroeconomic Determinants Of Worker Remittances To Latin American And The Caribbean Countries, Sathiavanee Veeramoothoo

Honors Projects in Economics

A regression analysis was performed to identify which macroeconomic factors influence the magnitude to worker remittances to over thirty Latin American and Caribbean countries. Age dependency ratio, land area, net migration, labor force, population and unemployment were found to be significant predictors of remittances. A time series exponential model was developed to forecast the level of remittances for the next ten years. The results suggest that remittances to Latin American and Caribbean countries will reach USD 190,810 million in 2018.

Based on the above findings, this paper will help scholars understand better what drives worker remittances in Latin American and …

The Potential Use Of Mobile Communication In The Classroom, Daniel Calkins

Honors Projects in Communication

The emergence of technology into higher education has drastically altered the nature and quality of learning experiences. Over the past twenty years, the advancement of technology and the evolvement of computer hardware and software have shifted the needs and expectations of students and faculty in performing their educational duties. Recently, demands among higher educational communities have centered on the need for increased mobility with regards to technology. In the fall of 2008, a number of schools, namely the University of Maryland, Freed-Hardeman University, and Abilene Christian University, issued mobile hand-held devices to a group of incoming students in an effort …

A Cost-Benefit Analysis Of The Transition From Gaap To Ifrs In The United States, Kenneth Smith

Honors Projects in Economics

This research intends to determine the costs and benefits of the transition from Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the United States. This study targets the costs and benefits of the transition in three areas of accounting: Academia, Corporate and Public. The transition could potentially have large implications on investment in the US and around the world, and therefore, this study aims to see if it is beneficial for the US to adopt IFRS. To ascertain the costs and benefits of the transition, this research used an online survey to obtain knowledge and opinions …

The Impact Of The Summer Olympics On Its Host City: The Costs Outweigh The Tangible Benefits, Steven Rosenblum

Honors Projects in History and Social Sciences

In the eyes of a host city, the reason to host the Summer Olympic Games has evolved from shining glory on athletic feats to receiving the perceived benefits from the opportunity. In the current times, there are a record number of Olympic events generating a demand for the construction of a larger amount of Games facilities than ever before. However, nations still vie for the winning bid to host the Olympics in one of their cities. This paper seeks to show that the costs of hosting the Games outweigh its tangible benefits. In detail, it will look at the financial, …

A Phone Of One's Own: Texting At The Bryant University Reference Desk, Laura Kohl, Maura Keating

Library Staff Publications, Presentations & Journal Articles

Librarians take great pride in their continuous efforts to be accessible to their patrons. By summarizing the “Text a Librarian” program at the Douglas and Judith Krupp Library at Bryant University, this article highlights the many ways reference librarians and their services have evolved. This article takes you on a journey through their “eureka moment” to the phone plan and purchase, implemented guidelines and policies and ultimately, their “texting success”.

The Effect Of Domestic Investment, Economic Growth And Human Development On Foreign Direct Investment Into China, Mike Paolino

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper examines the relationship between foreign direct investment, domestic investment, human development, and economic growth, and uses the ordinary least squared technique, and a time series analysis using data for the period 1977-2007. The analysis seeks to answer the fundamental question of what impact Chinese domestic investment, economic growth, and human development has on foreign direct investment into the country. Research regarding foreign direct investment and its fundamental correlation with economic growth and domestic investment has produced varied results. This paper examines those variables, with the addition of human development variables, where research is partial. This paper seeks to …

The Effect Of Aid Dependency And Quality Of Institution In Alleviating Poverty In Ida Countries, Mahah Mirza

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

Poverty alleviation has been a topic of much discussion ever since the Millennium Development Goals were set by World Bank in the 1990s. This paper examines to what extent aid dependency and quality of institution affect 31 IDA countries in achieving the first of eight MDG. The study provides evidence that although these IDA countries experience a decrease in poverty, it may not be enough to meet MDGs by 2015. Aid dependency increases the poverty level whereas some Quality of Institution indicators such as control of corruption, rule of law and regulatory quality have greater impact in reducing poverty than …

Disentangling The Characteristics Of Narratives Comprising Evidence: Outcomes Of Osteoporosis Narrative Evidence For Young Women, Julie E. Volkman, Roxanne Parrot

Communication Faculty Journal Articles

Health communication scholars are charged with seeking ways to convey health information in credible and reliable ways for audiences. In the context of osteoporosis, the challenge becomes how to communicate risk and prevention to young women, as prevention behaviors started early in life can help decrease osteoporosis diagnosis later in life. Evidence has been shown to be one message tool that can increase comprehension of information presented and influence outcomes. Previous research has found that statistical evidence to be associated with systematic processing, or careful attention to messages, whereas narrative evidence evokes heuristic processing, or a reliance on heuristics. Yet, …

Effects Of Globalization On Income Inequality In High Income Countries, Craig Bradford

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper examines the relationship between technology, trade liberalization, and financial globalization in incomes inequality, focusing on high income countries. We find that technological progress has a smaller effect on income inequality in high income countries than in middle and low income countries. It is also found that increases in the percentage of workers in the services industry decreases Income Inequality by a significant amount. The GINI index is used to measure the level of income inequality, and the Chinn-Ito index is used to measure the level of openness to capital investment.

The Relationship Between Housing Prices And Macroeconomic Factors In Spain, Garrett Fitzgerald

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper examines the effects of certain macroeconomic variables (i.e mortgages, inflation, and employment) on the price of houses in Spain. An error correction vector autoregressive (ECVAR) model is used to model the impact of the macroeconomic variables on real housing prices. Variance decompositions will be analyzed to determine the extent to which these variables have an effect on housing prices in Spain.

The Effect Of Crime Rates On Home Prices: A Hedonic Study, John Paul Goncalves

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

The hedonic regression model in this study is from a Florida based study that has been applied on a national level. The results of this research will indicate the most significant variables which support the overall effect on the price of a home. The emphasis of this study is to examine the overall impact of crime rates on average home prices in America’s state capitals.

Are Educated Women Less Likely To Get Married?, Qian Jiang

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

In the past, there are some research indicate that highly educated women marry less. Because women tend to face the success penalty, however, a new analysis of U.S. census data indicates that--despite cultural messages to the contrary--the success gap, in which better educated women marry less, is actually shrinking. Using 2008 Current Population Survey, this paper utilized Probit regression to analyze how increase of women's educational attainment can influenced marriage and other aspects such as financial well-being. In addition, this study tries to estimate the best levels of education for women to be more likely to married.

State Level Comparison Of Factors Contributing To Rising Inpatient Hospital Costs, Jeff Fontaine

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

No abstract provided.

The Impacts Of Energy Efficiency And Consumption On Gdp In The Euro Area, Justin T. Getts

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper analyzes the aggregate data of the Euro Area to determine how GDP per unit of energy is affected by the use of common energy sources. Time series data from 1980 to 2005 is used to show the change in how energy is used compared to the growth of GDP. It is revealed in this paper that the consumption of efficient forms of energy is highly correlated to GDP growth and the use of inefficient energy sources leads to less growth.

The Effect Of Tax-Burdens On Foreign Direct Investment: A Cross-Sectional Look At Developing Economies, Kevin Hauver

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper investigates the effect that certain aspects of the tax burden have on foreign direct investment in developing economies. Using data from 35 select countries, the paper uses an OLS regression model to determine the impact that various taxes, both on individuals and corporations, can have on FDI. The paper concludes that corporate tax rates are not a statistically significant factor for determining FDI inflows into a host country, but that indirect tax rates are. This is likely due to the use of ‘enterprise zones’, which offer favorable indirect tax rates to companies that choose to operate in a …

The Effect Of Aging Populations On Inflation, Andrew Stone

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This research uses panel data of 66 high and middle income countries to examine the inflation effects of demographics. The primary objective of this research is to show that consumer prices change based on the amount of retired persons in a nation. The double log model used in this paper also includes interest rates and uses data from 1991-2007 in order to demonstrate the most recent demographic shifts. The results showing inflationary pressure coming from young retirees compliment the Modigliani life-cycle hypothesis that this age group consists of net consumers, while the deflationary pressures provided by the working aged population …

An Empirical Analysis Of The Impact Of Home Foreclosure On The Crime Rate: Evidence In Atlanta, Ga, Luis G. Acevedo

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

Over the past 28 years the United States has seen its share of prosperity and hard times. At times there have been significant increases in the number of subprime mortgages issued in the United States. Studies have shown that the number of foreclosures is highly correlated to the number of subprime loans issued. Another main issue that seems to occur with the abundance of loans and the spike in foreclosures is that crime rates tend to also increase during these times. The two major crimes that will be taken into account are violent crime and property crimes. I use foreclosure, …

The Economic Benefits Of Education As A Return To Gdp Per Capita, Jonathan Brown

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper examines many different factors of education, including the levels of education received, the expenditures per student as well as for each level of education, and the measurement of unemployed with said levels of education as to how it affects the levels of GDP per capita. What is consistent across each regression is that in fact, the average years of education received by the population will most closely have a beneficial effect on the levels of GDP per capita. What these regressions also show are tendencies to look more towards the future rather than the past. When considering unemployment, …