Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Volume 9, Issue 1, Spring/Summer 2020, Stacy Creel, Ph.D., Teresa S. Welsh Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

SLIS Connecting refereed open-access e-journal, Volume 9, Issue 1 (Spring/Summer 2020)

Public Health At The Public Library: Preventive Health Programs Implemented In Large Public Libraries, Uday Aj Patil

SLIS Connecting

Amid the opioid epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic, the public sector is consumed with health promotion and disease prevention. Preventive programs serve a significant purpose in ensuring population health and reducing burden on the healthcare system (Cohen et al., 2008; Neumann & Cohen, 2009). People are increasingly turning to educational resources outside of the traditional healthcare sector to ward off diseases or alleviate pre-existing conditions (Eakin et al., 1980; Eng et al., 1998). Public library systems often carry such resources, in print and multimedia form, at no cost. Some libraries are providing health programming to supplement, contextualize, or incentivize the use …

The Medical Library Association’S Role In Disseminating Information Related To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michele Buscher

SLIS Connecting

The Medical Library Association (MLA) has been part of the library and information science field since 1898 (The Medical Library Association, 2020). According to the website, the mission of the organization is to promote library and information science knowledge and make it available and accessible to medical information specialists and the general public. This content analysis examines the Medical Library Association’s (MLA) role in the 2019/2020 COVID-19 public health crisis, specifically the ways in which the MLA has provided resources about the pandemic to libraries and librarians as well as the public.

An Analysis Of Library Closures And Covid-19: Are U.S. Libraries Closing Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic?, Garrett W. Jennings, Msls

SLIS Connecting

As of March 20, 2020, there have been 15,219 reported cases of COVID-19 in the United States of America (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020b; Pan American Health Organization [PAHO], 2020). There are 16,568 public library buildings in the United States (American Library Association, 2019). Since they are community centers and publicly owned institutions, libraries are charged with ensuring that their patrons are taken care of and that they are serving their communities to the best of their ability.

The purpose of this study is to examine the rate of COVID-19 infections reported to the CDC in the …

Student Associations: News And Events, The University Of Southern Mississippi

SLIS Connecting

News and events from SLIS student groups: Library and Information Science Students Association (LISSA) and Southern Miss Student Archivists (SMSA).

From The Gas: Congratulations, Publications, Presentations, The University Of Southern Mississippi

SLIS Connecting

News and congratulations from SLIS Graduate Assistants for student, alumni, and faculty accomplishments, publications, and presentations.

Spotlights: Faculty, Alumna, And Courses, Stacy Creel, Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

Spotlighting SLIS Faculty Dr. Jeff Hirschy, SLIS alum Michelle Finley, and asynchronous elective courses LIS 492 (H002)/LIS 692: Library Marketing & PR and LIS 691: LIS Research - Genealogy Research.

Slis Director's Report, Teresa S. Welsh Ph.D., Mlis

SLIS Connecting

News and updates from Southern Miss School of Library and Information Science Director, Dr. Teresa Welsh.

Volume 8, Issue 2, Fall/Winter 2019-20, Stacy Creel, Teresa S. Welsh Ph.D., Mlis

SLIS Connecting

SLIS Connecting refereed open-access e-journal, Volume 8, Issue 2 (Fall/Winter 2019-20)

An Examination Of The Tale The Town Mouse And The Country Mouse In The Usm De Grummond Children's Literature Collection, Tiffany Markulike

SLIS Connecting

The purpose of this study is to examine the different versions of the classic folk tale Town Mouse, Country Mouse contained within the USM de Grummond Chldren's Literature Collection, including scholarly analysis, authorship, and changes over time in the details of the story.

School Libraries Get "Graphic": An Analysis Of Graphic Novels In The School Library Collection, Rebecca Lacoste

SLIS Connecting

Graphic novels have been recognized by many professionals, researchers, and educators as a major factor in increasing student engagement. The purpose of this research is to analyze a middle school library's statistical data before and after the addition of graphic novels into the library collection. The study also analyzes the growth of scholarly literature related to graphic novels and school libraries. The compilation of this research should provide insight to school librarians, teachers, administrators, and researchers on the value and successes associated with the inclusion of graphic novels in the school library collection.

Bibliometric Analysis Of Biotechnology Research In Nigeria, Oladimeji Oladosu, Oladimeji Abimbola, Odejobi Bolaji

SLIS Connecting

The aim of this paper is to quantitatively analyze the volume and publication pattern of research in the field of biotechnology in Nigeria. A bibliometric analysis was carried out on documents related to biotechnology research in Nigeria published from 1988 – 2018 and indexed in SCOPUS database. The analysis results reveal an increase in biotechnology research in Nigeria since 1988, and the University of Ibadan is the most productive institution in terms of publications. The trend of biotechnology research in Nigeria portends growth in the future.

Lissa Newsletter, The University Of Southern Mississippi

SLIS Connecting

News and events from SLIS student groups: Library and Information Science Students Association (LISSA),

From The Gas: Congratulations, Publications, Presentations, The University Of Southern Mississippi

SLIS Connecting

News and congratulations from SLIS Graduate Assistants for student, alumni, and faculty accomplishments, publications, and presentations.

Spotlights: Faculty, Alumna, And Courses, Stacy Creel

SLIS Connecting

Spotlighting SLIS Adjunct Faculty Stephen Parks, JD; SLIS alum Dr. Tekla Ali Johnson; and three technical elective courses: LIS 416/516: Technology in School Libraries, LIS 457/557: Information Technology and Libraries; and LIS 458/558: Web Design and Evaluation.

Slis Director's Report, Teresa S. Welsh Ph.D., Mlis

SLIS Connecting

News and updates from Southern Miss School of Library and Information Science Director, Dr. Teresa Welsh.

Exploring Dissociation As A Facilitator Of Suicide Risk Using Virtual Reality, Nicole Caulfield

Master's Theses

Research shows that suicidal behavior is not a result of a single cause or single event, but instead is an interaction of facilitators. One potential facilitator that needs further exploration is dissociation. Dissociation has been consistently linked to suicidal behavior, and treatment for dissociative disorders seem to be associated with a reduction of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Prior theories have posited that dissociation increases the possibility of a suicidal act because of intensified disconnect from the body. However, these theories do not indicate whether dissociation is a facilitator of suicide risk by increasing suicidal ideation, attempt behaviors, and capability …

Hate Speech, Habitus, And Identity Signaling On 4chan’S Politically Incorrect Board, Jonathon Geiger

Master's Theses

Websites, such as 4chan, have provided a place for extremism and hate speech to flourish through anonymous discourse. One group that has been especially important to this growth has been the alt-right. The alt-right is a far-right white nationalist movement that is known for engaging in trolling, creating memes, and generating conspiracy theories. Past research has focused on the amounts of hate speech and characterizing content on the website. However, past studies have not looked at the experience of using the website through the combination of participant observation and content analysis. Here I show that the extensive use of hate …

Nutrition At Tipu: A Comparative Analysis Of Juvenile Health In Maya Populations, Sydnie A. Bianchi

Master's Theses

The site of Tipu in west central Belize provided a foothold for Spanish missionaries in the 17^th century. The effects of contact on adults among the 550 burials recovered in the cemetery there have been well studied, but the children have received less attention. Therefore, this study examined juvenile health through four markers: Linear Enamel Hypoplasia (LEH), a non-specific marker of health disruptions; Porotic Hyperostosis (PH), an indicator of anemia; and Periostitis, an indicator of infection. Some 131 individuals were evaluated using criteria developed by Steckel, Sciulli, and Rose (2002). The results were compared to Late Classic Copán (Storey, …

The Impact Of A Casve-Cq Enhanced Intervention On Group Career Counseling Outcomes, Kendall L. Klumpp

Master's Theses

This study aimed to investigate the effect of using the CASVE Cycle Questionnaire (CASVE-CQ) on career group intervention outcomes, specifically career decidedness, negative career thoughts, career decision-making difficulties, and career decision-making self-efficacy. Participants included 45 undergraduate students who receive scholarships from a student retention program which includes a career group intervention as a requirement to receive the scholarship. It was predicted that the use of the CASVE-CQ would result in greater increases in career decidedness and career decision-making self-efficacy, as well as greater decreases in negative career thoughts and career decision-making difficulties compared to those receiving the same intervention that …

Measuring Implicit And Explicit Attitudes Toward Transracial Adoption, Lillian Spadgenske

Master's Theses

Attitudes toward Transracial Adoption, or TRA (i.e., White individuals adopting a child of a different race than their own) have been largely positive in a few experimental studies conducted, with only one study (Tinkler & Horne, 2011) employing an implicit measure, the Implicit Association Task (IAT). The current study has focused on assessing attitudes toward TRA families with Black versus Asian children using both explicit and implicit (the IAT) measures of bias. In addition, religiosity was tested as a moderator of the attitudes toward TRA adoption. It was found that individuals had much more supportive attitudes toward transracial families on …

​Burned Out But Barely Begun: A Qualitative Study On Newer Clergy And Communication Surrounding Emotional Labor And Personal Well-Being In South Mississippi, Lauren Noll

Master's Theses

This study provides an overview of the concepts surrounding clergy burnout,

organizational culture, and emotional labor theory. Furthermore, it explains the need

for  clearer understanding of clergy perceptions of their own personal

experiences with burnout and their emotional wellbeing in relation to their organizational environment and careers as clergy members. The methodology of qualitative interviews sought to understand the narratives and experiences of clergy members from their own words and worldviews rather than from a statistical basis or analysis.

This research found answers to key questions involving communication about burnout in the context of organizational culture and emotional labor, including …

Navigating Hate: The Public Deliberation Of Matthew Shepard And Hate Crime Legislation, Abigail Barnes

Master's Theses

Since Matthew Shepard’s murder in 1998, his narrative has been recirculated to justify a federal hate crime statute and Shepard has been used as a symbol for the demand for hate crime legislation. This study seeks to evaluate how Shepard is used in public deliberation, the role of private organizations in the public deliberation of hate crime legislation, and the discursive history of the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crime Prevention Act of 2009. Through a rhetorical criticism, this study finds that the nuances of Shepard’s narrative are abandoned in order to construct him as a “permissible” symbol for LGBTQ+ protections. However, if …

Racial Threat, Economic Resources, And Politics: How Local Structural Conditions Influence The Adoption Of Restrictionist Immigration Policy, Mario Marset Ehrle

Honors Theses

ICE has used their 287(g) program to target immigration enforcement at the county level. This program authorizes local police officers to carry out federal immigration work to meet arrest and deportation quotas. This has eroded civil rights and led to the criminalization of minorities, particularly Latinos. While previous research has examined the theories behind local anti-immigration work and the social factors affecting anti-immigrant policy adoption more generally, no large-scale quantitative analyses have been conducted as to why some counties adopted 287(g) while others chose not to do so. Addressing this gap in the literature, the following study uses a newly …

Diversity And Inclusion: Examining The Lived Experiences Of Lgbtq Students At Historically Black Colleges And Universities (Hbcus) In The Bible Belt, Steven Jones

Dissertations

Throughout the twentieth century, the Gay Rights Movement has gained momentum as LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) individuals have fought for civil equality and social acceptance. However, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been slow to adapt, implement, and effect change that improves the quality of education for LGBTQ students. Strong religious beliefs derived from the church; especially in the South, may be the connection to understanding why homosexuality isn’t vastly accepted or celebrated in the Black Community and at HBCUs; particularly, in the Bible Belt.

Thus, this phenomenological qualitative study, guided by the theory of care framework, …

Well-Being Indicators, Social Globalization, And Unaccompanied Child Migration From Central America, Lucia Farriss

Dissertations

This research investigates the effect of well-being indictors and social globalization on the migration of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) from Central America. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the surge in UAC that began in 2014 at the United States southern border is driven primarily by violence, or whether other factors are at play. Using data for the period 2008-2018, the apprehension of UAC serves as a proxy for measuring unaccompanied child migration to the United States. The four countries of focus are El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico as they contribute the largest numbers of child …

The Haitian Diaspora As Human Capital And Agents Of Change: Perceptions And Attitudes Of The Haitian Diaspora As An International Development Actor, Alain Pompilus

Dissertations

For decades, Paul Romer’s endogenous growth theory has enriched the discussion regarding human capital in development. Romer posits that human capital is a vital resource and critical component of macroeconomic growth. With emigration identified as the leading cause of human capital loss for developing countries, Romer recommends growth policies focus on accessing knowledge in more developed parts of the world. As a way to achieve sustained development, institutions like the United Nations have proposed strategies similarly aligned with Romer’s theory. These institutions suggest the diaspora, as a source of human capital, can go beyond remittances and serve as integral actors …

Organizational Stressors As Predictors Of Burnout, Kristen Albritton

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if organizational stress, measured by role conflict and role ambiguity, predicts burnout among employees. A review of the related literature identified variables that demonstrate a relationship with burnout, supported by the Maslach (1998) theory of burnout and Katz and Kahn’s (1966) organizational role theory. The researcher also examined whether organizational level and demographic variables (gender, education level, and job tenure) moderate the relationships between role conflict, role ambiguity, and burnout.

The study follows a non-experimental, cross-sectional design using data collected from a survey. Results of linear regression analyses reveal role conflict and …

Reducing False Recognition In The Deese-Roediger/Mcdermott Paradigm: Related Lures Reveal How Distinctive Encoding Improves Encoding And Monitoring Processes, Mark J. Huff, Glen E. Bodner, Matthew R. Gretz

Faculty Publications

In the Deese-Roediger/McDermott (DRM) paradigm, distinctive encoding of list items typically reduces false recognition of critical lures relative to a read-only control. This reduction can be due to enhanced item-specific processing, reduced relational processing, and/or increased test-based monitoring. However, it is unclear whether distinctive encoding reduces false recognition in a selective or global manner. To examine this question, participants studied DRM lists using a distinctive item-specific anagram generation task and then completed a recognition test which included both DRM critical lures and either strongly related lures (Experiment 1) or weakly related lures (Experiment 2). Compared to a read-control group, the …

Belief In Unconscious Repressed Memory Is Widespread: A Comment On Brewin, Li, Ntarantana, Unsworth, And Mcneilis (2019), Henry Otgaar, Jianqin Wang, Mark L. Howe, Scott O. Lilienfeld, Elizabeth F. Loftus, Steven Jay Lynn, Harald Merckelbach, Lawrence Patihis

Faculty Publications

What does believing in repressed memory mean? In a recent article in this journal, Brewin, Li, Ntarantana, Unsworth, and McNeilis (2019, Study 3) argued that when people are asked to indicate their belief in repressed memory, they might actually think of deliberate memory suppression rather than unconscious repressed memory. They further argued that in contrast to belief in unconscious repressed memory, belief in deliberate memory suppression is not scientifically controversial. In this commentary, we show that they are incorrect on both counts. Although Brewin and colleagues surveyed people to indicate their belief in deliberate memory suppression, they neglected to ask …