Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Fort Hays State University

2016

Articles 1 - 20 of 20

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Kansas Story: A Sea Of Koha Green On The Plains, Robin Hastings, Heather Braum, Harry Willems, Crystal Hutchinson Mlis, Gail Santy, Maribeth Shafer, Jason Robb, Roger Carswell Nov 2016

The Kansas Story: A Sea Of Koha Green On The Plains, Robin Hastings, Heather Braum, Harry Willems, Crystal Hutchinson Mlis, Gail Santy, Maribeth Shafer, Jason Robb, Roger Carswell

Forsyth Library Faculty Publications

Three regional systems document each massive collaboration project to provide small and rural libraries with a consortia catalog. The systems Central Kansas Library System (CKLS), Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS) and Southeast Kansas Library System (SEKLS) narrate their system experience with creating a consortia catalog for libraries in their designated region. Their experience includes the history, the challenges and achievements and the future plans of each of the three Koha integrated library systems. All three systems currently still use this open-source software.

Go to article

Exploring The Community Impact Of Service-Learning Project Teams, Brent J. Goertzen Ph.D., Justin Greenleaf Ph.D., Danielle Dougherty Oct 2016

Exploring The Community Impact Of Service-Learning Project Teams, Brent J. Goertzen Ph.D., Justin Greenleaf Ph.D., Danielle Dougherty

Leadership Faculty Publications

The purpose of this project was to study community partners' perceptions of the impact of service-learning projects, by studying the ways in which “service-learning project teams” (SLPT) impacted the communities and organizations where they worked. Researchers purposefully selected 16 community partners (CP) who had direct experience working with and supervising service-learning project teams to take part in semi-structured interviews regarding their experiences. Analysis of the transcribed interviews resulted in 15 themes that were divided into two categories. These findings are intended to be a starting point for further research regarding the community impact of service-learning.

Go to article

Kansas Speaks 2016 Statewide Public Opinion Survey, Bradley Pendergast, Gary Brinker Ph.D., Jian Sun Ph.D., Chapman Rackaway Ph.D., Ryan L. Swayne Oct 2016

Kansas Speaks 2016 Statewide Public Opinion Survey, Bradley Pendergast, Gary Brinker Ph.D., Jian Sun Ph.D., Chapman Rackaway Ph.D., Ryan L. Swayne

Docking Institute of Public Affairs

To assess attitudes and opinions of Kansans, the Docking Institute has surveyed a random sample of Kansas residents age 18 and older every year since 2009. For this year’s survey, the Docking Institute purchased from Scientific Telephone Samples a random sample consisting of Kansas landline telephone numbers and cell phone numbers. Interviewers are highly trained student researchers pursuing degrees at Fort Hays State University. From September 1st to October 13th, a total of 2,914 Kansas residents were contacted by telephone, with 1,043 of them completed the survey, resulting in a 36% response rate. The margin of error was 3% at …

Go to article

Nonprofit Use Of Social Media: Insights From The Field, Justin Greenleaf Ph.D. Sep 2016

Nonprofit Use Of Social Media: Insights From The Field, Justin Greenleaf Ph.D.

Leadership Faculty Publications

This study focuses on social media use in nonprofit organizations and how nonprofits perceive and strategize about the use of social media platforms. The study was open to any nonprofit organization actively engaged in the use of social media and fifteen different nonprofit organizations were purposefully selected for inclusion in the study. Through interviews with the social media strategists employed by the organizations, the researcher created a foundation for understanding perceptions of effective strategies for social media use in these nonprofits. While participants described a variety of social media platforms, discussion revolved primarily around the use of Facebook and Twitter. …

Go to article

Winding Pathways To Engagement: Creating A Front Door, Lori E. Kniffin Ph.D., Timothy J. Shaffer, Mary H. Tolar Sep 2016

Winding Pathways To Engagement: Creating A Front Door, Lori E. Kniffin Ph.D., Timothy J. Shaffer, Mary H. Tolar

Leadership Faculty Publications

Service-learning and community engagement (SLCE) practitioner-scholars—meaning all who do the work of SLCE with a commitment to integrating practice and study—find avenues to this work in a variety of ways. Many of the thought leaders in this movement started as traditional scholars in their disciplines and, only in their later careers, focused on creating and enhancing SLCE on their own campuses and across the academy. Others first learned about SLCE as an epistemological framework and a pedagogy in graduate programs such as Curriculum and Instruction or Higher Education Leadership. Others came across it during their academic careers somewhat randomly in …

Go to article

Responses To The Call For A National Strategic Plan, Lori E. Kniffin Ph.D., Jeffrey Howard Sep 2016

Responses To The Call For A National Strategic Plan, Lori E. Kniffin Ph.D., Jeffrey Howard

Leadership Faculty Publications

The Service-Learning and Community Engagement Future Directions Project (SLCE-FDP) was launched in 2015. Since then approximately 40 individuals from a wide range of perspectives have come together as contributors of thought pieces that issue bold calls to guide the future of SLCE. In an essay accompanying the ten thought pieces in Fall 2015, Howard and Stanlick (2015) called for the “development and implementation of a U.S. national SLCE strategic plan” (p. 128). Their essay provides one answer to the question of how all of the ideas about the future of SLCE being assembled by the SLCE-FDP – and also being …

Go to article

Advancing Education: Using Mobile Electronics To Deliver Communications, Zahrah Aljaber May 2016

Advancing Education: Using Mobile Electronics To Deliver Communications, Zahrah Aljaber

Master's Theses

Based on gender, age, education level, online shopping, economic state, and level of development, this thesis discusses the kinds of electronic communication devices which are used in Arabic countries. Also, the internet, cellphone usage, and how electronic communication technology effect individual's lives in Arabic countries will be studied. As a developing Arabic country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is seeking to use the best methods of digital education. Spending on education technology in the UAE is one of the highest in the world. The UAE is constantly looking to better the educational system. The economy in UAE has developed into …

Go to article

The United Rhetorical States Of America: A Place For Aristotle In U.S. Citizenship, Kurt Beyers May 2016

The United Rhetorical States Of America: A Place For Aristotle In U.S. Citizenship, Kurt Beyers

Master's Theses

The United States of America was founded on rhetorical justifications and has been governed through most of its history by a system designed to operate on rhetorical principles. The process depends on persuasive practices in the selection of the executives and the legislators responsible for governing. The base of this system is in the citizens responsible for electing the leaders and, ultimately, approving or rejecting the actions proposed by those leaders. Persuasive communication is a vital part of governance at every step. Citizenship in such a government is an active process. This paper argues that citizens, to be actively engaged, …

Go to article

Creating A More Ecologically Valid Decision Task, Kevin L. Kenney May 2016

Creating A More Ecologically Valid Decision Task, Kevin L. Kenney

Master's Theses

There has been a standing debate in the field regarding the effectiveness of frequencies and probabilities to accurately convey information. This study utilized a naturalistic sampling procedure to determine risk preferences on binary choice decision using time, sex, and goal deficit variables as predictors. Participants consisted of 110 undergraduate students enrolled in core psychology courses at Fort Hays State University. A web application was created to conduct this specific study that will be made available to other researchers. Significant effects existed for time and goal deficit variables that predicted risk preferences.

Go to article

Perceptions Of Intimate Partner Violence Among Heterosexual, Gay, And Lesbian Couples, Shelby M. Staab May 2016

Perceptions Of Intimate Partner Violence Among Heterosexual, Gay, And Lesbian Couples, Shelby M. Staab

Master's Theses

The current study examined the perceptions of intimate partner violence. Data were gathered from Fort Hays State University undergraduate participants enrolled on campus and virtually. Participants were assigned to a four-level independent variable (scenario type). Participants were grouped according to their career goal, a two-level independent variable (helping profession and non-helping profession). This study suggests there are differences in perceptions among participants with differing career goals as they pertain to myth acceptance of IPV and homosexuality, and the type of punishment needed for aggressors of IPV. Helping professionals endorsed lower myth acceptance of IPV. There was no significant effect of …

Go to article

Leadership Development Programs: Exploring The Real Impact Upon Communities And Organizations, Brandon Steinert May 2016

Leadership Development Programs: Exploring The Real Impact Upon Communities And Organizations, Brandon Steinert

Master's Theses

Leadership development programs are a popular tool utilized by communities and organizations to influence culture, challenge status quo and develop individuals. Research targeting the effectiveness of these programs is voluminous, but much of the work done thus far measures program effectiveness by one of two methods: either by the change in the attitudes and behavior of participants, or by the opinions participants held regarding the content and curriculum of the program. This study sought measure program effectiveness by looking at the real impact upon communities and organizations. This study explored the potential relationship between health and vibrancy of communities and …

Go to article

Basic Aerodynamics And Flight Characteristics In Discus Throwing, Andreas Maheras May 2016

Basic Aerodynamics And Flight Characteristics In Discus Throwing, Andreas Maheras

Track and Field Faculty Publications

The discus is an extremely aerodynamic implement (Hubbard, 2000). This implies that, under certain conditions, the distance thrown can be increased or decreased significantly beyond or below to that expected in a vacuum or in still air.

Go to article

Investigating The Lexical Support In Non-Native English Speakers Using The Phonemic Restoration Paradigm, Mohammed Saad Alsahli May 2016

Investigating The Lexical Support In Non-Native English Speakers Using The Phonemic Restoration Paradigm, Mohammed Saad Alsahli

Master's Theses

Samuel and Frost (2015) investigated the differences between native and non-native English speakers’ lexical influence in speech perception. Using the selective adaptation method, the study showed that lexical support was weaker in less language proficient non-native speakers than native speakers; however, lexical support became stronger in more proficient non-native speakers. The present study investigated the lexical support in speech perception between native and non-native English speakers. Unlike the method used by Samuel and Frost (2015), the present study used the phonemic restoration paradigm. The benefit of using this method is to investigate the difference between native and non-native speakers in …

Go to article

Going For The Goal: The Effect Of Subjective Temporal Distance On Goal Selection, Megan M. Blackley May 2016

Going For The Goal: The Effect Of Subjective Temporal Distance On Goal Selection, Megan M. Blackley

Master's Theses

Goals are often classified into two types, intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic goals are furnished when one finds an activity inherently interesting or pleasurable (Abuhamdeh & Csikszentmihalyi, 2009), whereas extrinsic goals are created when one seeks a reward from an external force (Gunnell, Crocker, Mack, Wilson, & Zumbo, 2014). The pursuit of intrinsic goals represents the purest form of autonomy, which is a staple of positive psychological well-being, and promotes greater task orientation (Nie, Chua, Yeung, Ryan, & Chan, 2014). The current study explores the effects of subjective temporal distance on the selection of intrinsic or extrinsic goal pursuit. Construal Level …

Go to article

Harmful Inspiration: The Consequences Of Viewing Thinspiration And Fitspiration Images, Lanaya Anderson May 2016

Harmful Inspiration: The Consequences Of Viewing Thinspiration And Fitspiration Images, Lanaya Anderson

Master's Theses

In addition to the treatment of individuals with existing eating disorders, research and social efforts have been made recently to prevent the development of eating disorders. Preventative efforts have included: a) expanding research concerning the etiology of eating disorders, b) increasing awareness of the consequences of eating disorders, and c) shutting down pro-eating disorder websites. One aspect of pro-eating disorder websites, thinspiration, has emerged on social media websites. Studies concerning the effects of viewing thinspiration have shown that individuals who view thinspiration are more likely to accept unhealthy beauty standards, show increased self objectification and sexualization, exhibit increased distortion of …

Go to article

The Effects Of Life History On Expedited Shipping, Adam Jess Armijo May 2016

The Effects Of Life History On Expedited Shipping, Adam Jess Armijo

Master's Theses

This is a thesis studying individual differences in making a selection to expedite shipping. Specifically, the following experiment tested how individuals would make the decision to pay money to expedite shipping based on a few psychological characteristics theoretically linked to how individuals perceive and value time. In the following thesis, life history theory, the monetary-choice questionnaire assessing delay discounting, and gender were used to predict differences in the maximum amount an individual will spend to expedite shipping (as a proportion of total product cost). This was conducted by collecting data from an online population to more closely simulate online purchasing. …

Go to article

Helping Students Understand Health Statistics, Adam J. Armijo, Jisook Park, W. Trey Hill Apr 2016

Helping Students Understand Health Statistics, Adam J. Armijo, Jisook Park, W. Trey Hill

Academic Leadership Journal in Student Research

Mathematical and statistical information is often presented to patients after receiving health care. Previous research would suggest that people often have difficulty understanding statistical information, especially when it is presented in a single event probability format. According to previous research, the difficulty arises from numerical literacy, presentation format and an interaction of both. The goal of the current study is to determine the accuracy of students’ estimates of having an STD, after receiving a positive test result in a simulated clinical setting. Three different formats were manipulated to help students understand the statistical information frequencies, single event probability, and an …

Go to article

Risky Choice Decisions From A Tri-Reference Point Perspective, Kevin L. Kenney Apr 2016

Risky Choice Decisions From A Tri-Reference Point Perspective, Kevin L. Kenney

Academic Leadership Journal in Student Research

Decision theories, such as Prospect Theory, have long made use of reference points. Tri- Reference Point Theory, in contrast to other theories, proposes more than a single point of reference. The three reference points—minimum requirement (MR), status quo (SQ), and goals (G)—were manipulated between gambles in the present study. As part of their participation, 119 undergraduate students from a large Midwestern university were asked to choose between two gambles and then rate the importance of each of three reference points manipulated in the study. A series of logistic regressions were used to determine if rated importance of a reference point …

Go to article

Undergraduates’ Awareness And Perceptions Of Globalization: A Comparison Of U.S. And Chinese Students, Brett Zollinger, Fu Runfeng, Keith Campbell Jan 2016

Undergraduates’ Awareness And Perceptions Of Globalization: A Comparison Of U.S. And Chinese Students, Brett Zollinger, Fu Runfeng, Keith Campbell

Sociology Faculty Publications

Assessing current awareness of and attitudes toward predominant globalization processes among undergraduate students is helpful for future course design, particularly courses about globalization or those with substantial globalization components. Such assessments also provide research opportunities for understanding changing levels of awareness and attitudes among undergraduate students over time. This paper reports research about the knowledge and perceptions of globalization concepts and trends among undergraduate students. The analysis compares findings among U.S. undergraduates at a Midwestern university (Midwest U.) with those among Chinese undergraduates at a university (China U.) in an east-central province of the country. Findings from two years of …

Go to article

Altruism And Popularity, Eda Egilmez Jan 2016

Altruism And Popularity, Eda Egilmez

Master's Theses

Popularity, as a manifestation of social status, has been widely researched and appears to be determined by members of a social group. Individuals’ either aggressive or prosocial characteristics and environment lead them to one type of popularity. Prosocial behaviors are actions with intention of benefiting others or society as whole with little or no personal gain and may include helping, sharing, cooperating, donating, and other voluntary works. Altruism is a type of prosocial behavior that could affect individuals' popularity. Altruism has been studied in different disciplines with the general definition of cooperative behavior that has a cost to the actor …

Go to article