Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

"They Are Expecting Us To Stay Strong": How Ambulance Personnel Navigate And Manage Their Emotions In A Rural Region Of Northern California, Tina M. Orton-Owens

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This research examines how emergency medical service (EMS) workers navigate and manage their calls in Humboldt County, a rural region of Northern California. The primary theoretical framework is drawn from Arlie Hochschild’s theory of Emotional Labor. This paper examines how emotional labor impacts EMS workers within a rural environment and with limited resources. I also look at how COVID-19 complicated EMS workers’ experiences. This paper is based on qualitative research where I conducted 13 mostly face-to-face interviews with EMS workers throughout the County between 2020 and 2022. Interviews consisted of 30 questions and interviews ranged in length from 1 to …

Exploring The Realities Of Queer/Trans, Black, Indigenous, And/Or People Of Color Students At Humboldt State University, Kat Hồng Nguyễn

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In this thesis, I use participant interviews with 12 queer student activists at Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) and participant observation from 2019-2021 to provide a qualitative analysis of Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (QTBIPOC) student knowledge. While student activism is not a primary site of analysis in this paper, all of the participants of this study identify as student activists which has implications on their overall experience. Participants in this study note the institutional efforts to disrupt institutional memory between student leaders and activists. This study was specifically designed to combat this issue by …

Adoption Of Holistic Education Practices: A Survey Of California K-12 Educator Experiences, Arianne M. Nova

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In a rapidly evolving educational landscape, the federal government must explicitly consider holistic approaches to education as essential for the well-being and future of students in public schools. Holistic education, which extends beyond traditional academics to nurture the 'whole child,' has garnered substantial support in the literature for its positive impact on academic performance, behavior, and student well-being. This research explores educator perspectives on holistic education in a K-12 California school district. By surveying teachers, counselors, school social workers, and principals within this district, I assess their awareness concerning structural levels, available resources, and implementation capabilities related to holistic education. …

Effects Of Exergaming On Health And Fitness Outcomes For Students With Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis, Jordan Mauch

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

While research on VR gaming and Exergaming is in its infancy, both are interventions that have demonstrated positive results such as promoting physical activity participation and positive attitudes towards physical activity in children and adolescents. Exergaming has also been shown to be effective in increasing physical activity in children, and children with disabilities may find exergaming to be an enjoyable alternative to traditional physical activity due to increased accessibility and the focus on both gross and fine motor skills. In studies of VR and/or exergaming with participants with cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorder, researchers reported increases in motor function …

Effectiveness Of An Inclusive, Small-Group Adapted Aquatics Program On Increasing Vo2max In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Peggy Manuelita Scarborough

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

There is a need to examine the effectiveness of interventions, such as swimming, that are aimed at increasing physical health and developing psychomotor skills in an inclusive setting for children with ASD. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an inclusive, small-group adapted aquatics program on increasing VO₂max in children with ASD. Participants included two 11-year-old children diagnosed with ASD. The study took place over eight weeks and included a six-week Small-Group Adapted Aquatics (SGAA) program. Participants were assessed for VO₂max using the 20m PACER test during week one and week eight …

Is Cognitive Fatigue Pushing Peripheral Group Members Towards Extreme Attitudes?, James E. Robinson

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Both cognitive fatigue and group membership impact how individuals respond to persuasive messaging. Cognitively demanding tasks cause mental fatigue, lessening the ability to effortfully consider persuasive messaging and increasing the likelihood of making automatic decisions based on heuristics (Schmeichel et al., 2003). Additionally, self-perception of prototypicality (i.e., level of group membership) impacts motivation to identify with and engage in group normative behavior (Hohman et al., 2017). This research project aimed to further the understanding of how prototypicality and cognitive fatigue interact and come to impact attitude and the effortful elaboration of persuasive messaging.

Neurocinematics And Empathy: How Cognitive Neuroscience Enhances Our Understanding Of Emotional Responses Of Film, Kira Trinity

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Cinema is a medium that is beloved around the globe since its inception over a century ago. There have been speculations on how it is that cinema works, from editing to emotional processing of the story, but only recently have we begun to explore the inner workings of cinematic impact on the brain. In this paper we will review research on cinematic impact and define cinematic editing, discuss the birth of “neurocinematics”, highlight what we have observed with regards to neuroimaging and empathy when viewing films, and speculate on how our responses to cinema may be driven by the Mirror …

Using Biological Parameters And Traditional Ecological Knowledge To Study The Status Of Spirinchus Starksi (Night Smelt) In Northern California, Z. Zenobia

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Night smelt spawns from central California to southeast Alaska, on the shore of sandy beach surf zones at night. This species is a vital part of regional food webs and, in California, is fished commercially primarily in Humboldt and Del Norte counties. It has cultural importance for dietary and subsistence needs to the Tribes across the coast, as well as inland. The objectives of this thesis are as follow: study the status of the population of night smelt in Humboldt and Del Norte counties by (A) comparing the abundance, length, weight, age, sex ratio, and timing of reproduction of the …

The Impact Of A Structured Exercise Program On The Pre-Established Exercise Goals For Individuals With Disabilities, Emily C. Batini

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study aimed to identify the efficacy of a structured exercise program emphasizing family involvement and self-determination theory in meeting pre-established fitness goals for adults with disabilities. To measure physical strength and endurance changes, the 6-minute walk test, the curl-up, and push-up tests were utilized. A single-subject changing-criterion design was used in this study over the course of six weeks. Results indicated a positive relationship between the intervention and increased physical strength and endurance, according to testing results. Few participants met the criterion for each phase. However, many did demonstrate an increase in the distance walked, push-ups, and curl-ups completed …

Performance Activism Versus Collective Action, Grace Belt

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Collective action is how groups can change society. According to the social identity model of collective action (SIMCA), facets of group identification can motivate or discourage collective action. However, no current research has focused on motivations for engagement in performance activism (i.e., displaying support for a mobilized group without engaging in mobilization) from an ingroup perspective. The current study investigates this literature gap, focusing on the dynamics of group membership, specifically feelings of self-prototypicality, as motivation to engage in performance activism or collective action. Participants (N = 189) were made to feel they were core members (prototypical) or fringe …

Examining Educator Burnout And Classroom Outcomes As Correlates To Teaching Pyramid Implementation, April N. Frazer

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Teaching Pyramid is a research-based socio-emotional framework created for implementation in early childhood education programs. It is designed to support children’s socio-emotional development and decrease persistent challenging behaviors. Challenging child behaviors have been linked to early educator stress. Job stressors in early childhood educators have been previously linked to educator burnout.

This study examined fidelity of implementation of the Teaching Pyramid framework as well as experience being trained and coached on the framework in 21 early childhood educators. It evaluated how these variables correlated with educator burnout, children’s socio-emotional development, and observed quality of care in nine Head Start …

Prototypicality Threat And Intergroup Threat Theory: Support For Blm Using Militant Or Peaceful Language, Jordan C. Mcdowell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Black Lives Matter (BLM) symbolizes the need to recognize the humanity of Black lives and the systemic discrimination contributing to the murders of unarmed Black Americans at the hands of police. While there were some white Americans who participated in the demonstrations during the summer of 2020, there was also significant opposition (Astor, 2020). . The current work seeks to contribute to existing social identity literature by examining how subtle racist rhetoric in the media, combined with a threat to the white American identity (prototypicality threat) may impact support for BLM. To address these hypotheses, white participants will be recruited …

Positive And Negative Contact As Predictors Of Attitudes Toward Law Enforcement, Benjamin Jackson Anjewierden

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Using intergroup contact theory (ICT), which posits that contact experiences with members of outgroups relate to attitudes toward those outgroups as a whole, the current study examines how positive and negative experiences with members of law enforcement predict general attitudes toward law enforcement. It specifically examines how attitudes toward individual members of law enforcement from contact experiences generalize to law enforcement as a whole, and how this generalization process is more or less effective when members of law enforcement are seen as more or less representative of law enforcement as a group (i.e., when law enforcement group membership is salient). …

A Picture Worth A Thousand Words: Factors Influencing Disability Accommodations, Alicia E. Martin

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Because not all disabilities look the same it is difficult to label a person with disabilities just by looking at them. Given that our knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions impact how we interpret our world and our willingness to act, people, including professors, may be biased toward providing accommodations for those with easily recognizable disabilities and biased against those with non-recognizable disabilities, and this may impact the disabled person’s ability to learn. This thesis aims to address whether professors’ disability-related attitudes, perceptions of accommodation reasonableness, and willingness to provide accommodations differ when the disability is recognizable (student is pictured in a …

Is The Area Postrema Resistant To The Anesthetic Effects Of Ms-222?, Austin T. Csiszar

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

MS-222 is a common fish anesthetic that dampens neural activity by inhibiting neuronal voltage-gated sodium channels (Na_v) required for action potentials. Previous experiments conducted by our lab’s primary investigator using fluorescence calcium imaging in zebrafish neurons resulted in the observation that neurons in the area postrema (AP), a circumventricular organ located in the dorsal hindbrain, displayed prominent fluorescence intensity during MS-222 induced sedation. I used the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP6s to conduct fluorescence calcium imaging with the goal of recording neural activity in the larval zebrafish area postrema and optic tectum to compare the anesthetic effects of …

Indigenous Women In Active Drug Abuse Recovery: An Analysis Of Native And Non-Native Programs, Raquel J. Muñoz

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In general, much has been written on the experiences of prototypical women in drug recovery programs, however there is only a scarcity of research on the experiences of rural women of color in drug recovery programs. Very few Northern American cultures had experience with alcohol before the first wave of European settlers. Responses to intergenerational trauma faced by Native women include substance abuse, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, suicidal thinking, and more. Due to socioeconomic disadvantages drug and alcohol abuse tends to be a coping mechanism for many Native American women. Drawing on the narratives of ten Indigenous women who are …

Monitoring Bull Kelp (Nereocystis Leutkeana) Remotely At High Resolutions, Hannah E. Joss

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Bull kelp (Nereocystis leutkeana) is a foundational seaweed in nearshore, marine systems, traditionally supporting economically important fisheries, extracting nutrients in its vicinity, and sequestering carbon and transporting it great distances to subsidize shallow and deep-sea environments. Bull kelp is also a culturally important species for some indigenous peoples along the northeastern Pacific coastline and provides a harvestable product with growing demand. Global trends in kelp distribution show patterns of decline, and the immense loss of northern California bull kelp forests in response to climatic changes have highlighted the need for alternative sources of kelp, both for the product …

Examining Coaching Styles: Understanding How Leadership Style Impacts Athlete's Motivation, Confidence Level, And Satisfaction At The Collegiate Level, Juan Perez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life. There are a variety of different coaching styles all over the world. Each coaching style has its benefits and drawbacks on the impact it can have on an athlete. The study examined how coaching leadership style impacts an athlete's confidence, motivation, and satisfaction. Current collegiate athletes and former collegiate athletes were emailed a 103-question online survey focused on athlete perception of coaching style and how that impacts motivation, confidence, and satisfaction. The survey used The Leadership Scale for Sports (LSS), Vealey’s Trait Sport-Confidence Inventory (TSCI), Athlete …

Dining Layout Effects On Attendance, Communication, And Happiness In Older Adults, Juliana Lia Bertolucci

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Our growing national age and the unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic stress the importance of conducting applied research that identifies effective systems of support for older adults as they age. Behavioral Gerontology is a promising field that applies behavior-analytic procedures to age-related issues. The current behavioral research has primarily focused on older adults in assisted living or nursing homes with major neurocognitive disorders. The current study hopes to add to behavioral gerontological research by applying previous research methods to novel populations. Direct observations were used to examine the effects of manipulating the physical dining layouts on the attendance, …

Uncertainty, Parenting Attitudes, Risk Perceptions, And Covid-19 Vaccination Intentions, Zoë Royer

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the lives of millions of people, particularly parents. Drawing on uncertainty-identity theory and research on intensive parenting attitudes, two studies sought to understand the effects of self-uncertainty, parenting beliefs, and perceived illness and vaccine side effect severity, on parental intentions to vaccinate children against COVID-19. We hypothesized that parents with intensive parenting attitudes would rely on their parenting identity to reduce uncertainty and make decisions about vaccinating their children. The results revealed that parents who perceived illness severity in unvaccinated children as high were more likely to vaccinate their children, while …

"Think Of The Children!": Understanding Parental And Community Opposition To Critical Race Theory, Daniela S. Tierra

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools has become a controversial topic nationwide, leading to widespread and alarming bans on the teaching of CRT. CRT has been accused of shaming white children, creating racial division, and creating a “victim mentality” amongst people of color. The CRT utilized in critical legal studies, ethnic studies, and sociology looks drastically different from what opponents claimed. So, what exactly is CRT - more importantly, what do opponents of CRT believe it to be, and why are they opposed to it? This thesis builds on the sociological field of critical whiteness to examine the academic origin …

Individual Differences In The Coordinated Behavioral And Physiological Immune Response To Pathogenic Threat, Edwin Joel Rosales-Vijil

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Previous research has shown that simply viewing a pathogenic threat (e.g., a photo of someone sneezing) can trigger our immune systems to activate. Activation of the immune system can be measured through a variety of physiological markers, including inflammatory cells (i.e., cytokines) in the blood or saliva. The current study aims to replicate that finding that viewing pathogen-relevant images will trigger an immune response, and extend this work by investigating whether individual differences in perceived vulnerability to disease impacts the size of this immune response.

Carnivore And Ungulate Occurrence In A Fire-Prone Region, Sara J. Moriarty-Graves

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Increasing fire size and severity in the western United States causes changes to ecosystems, species’ habitat use, and interspecific interactions. Wide-ranging carnivore and ungulate mammalian species and their interactions may be influenced by an increase in fire activity in northern California. Depending on the fire characteristics, ungulates may benefit from burned habitat due to an increase in forage availability, while carnivore species may be differentially impacted, but ultimately driven by bottom-up processes from a shift in prey availability. I used a three-step approach to estimate the single-species occupancy of four large mammal species: mountain lion (Puma concolor), coyote …

Extremism In America: Explaining Political Extremism Using Uncertainty-Identity Theory, Natasha A. La Vogue

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Navigating a post-pandemic society, climate-change, political conflict and international wars have become part of most people’s daily existence. These crises are sources of societal and personal uncertainty. An effective method of uncertainty reduction comes from people’s entrenched group memberships (e.g. nation, political party). Unfortunately, groups with extreme norms and ideologies provide rigid structures that aid in uncertainty reduction. From white nationalists to anti-fascists, the political arena is tumultuous to the point of explosion. These eruptions can be violent, even deadly, and are becoming too familiar and recognizable. Extremism poses both international and domestic threats. There is no nation or society …

The Socio-Political History Of Cannabis In Costa Rica, Winston C. Grady

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The socio-political history of cannabis in Costa Rica is one of external global influence; from colonization to independence; from neocolonialism to neoliberalism. Cannabis in Costa Rica has gone from failed agricultural crop to non-indigenous intoxicant import to controversial cultural mainstay. As Mexico influenced cannabis prohibition in the United States, so too has the U.S. approach to cannabis prohibition influenced Costa Rica. Costa Rica now grapples with attempting to reorient its general anti-cannabis status quo to one of regulated marketplace acceptance. My research findings indicate that cannabis originally entered Costa Rica in the late 19^th century by way of imported …

California State University (Csu) Police Department Leadership Evaluation, Berkeley Kijsriopas

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Leaders have the ability transform lives and societies and can motivate people for greatness or terrible things. Within a California State University police department, Chiefs of Police are important decision makers that can influence and shape the departments norms, values, goals, behaviors and attitudes. A leadership evaluation (N = 333), was used to explore the effects of leader prototypicality, officer self-uncertainty and social identity continuity through union leadership evaluations. The initial hypothesis that social identity continuity positively predicts group identification and is moderated by leader support was supported. However, the second hypothesis that the relationship between prototypical leaders and …

Diversity Among University Students In The U.S.: An Analysis Of Student Ethnic Group Preferences And Its Impact On Campus Diversity Perceptions, Joseph Pang

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Diversity has become a focal point in conversations in higher education in the United States (Nunes, 2021). University systems have employed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives to recruit more diverse campus populations (e.g., University of California Board of Regents, 2007). However, this increased number of diverse students prompts the need to better define what diversity looks like on campus and factors that contribute to existing intergroup relations among Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). Intergroup contact theory posits that prejudice can be reduced by having groups engage in contact under specific conditions. However, BIPOC have historically been segregated and forced …

Analyzing Residential Curbside Collection For Food Waste In Humboldt County, Yvette Lindler

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The most prevalent material in the California landfill-destined solid waste stream is food. Food waste is not only an economic and social concern, but a significant environmental challenge as well. Most food waste is disposed of in landfills, where it anaerobically decomposes and releases methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas and driver of climate change. Policies passed in California, including AB 1826 and SB 1383, aim to implement organic waste recycling programs and reduce methane emissions by diverting organic waste from landfills. The technology to process this food waste exists, but these facilities are limited or nonexistent in rural areas …

Identification With All Of Humanity, Uncertainty, And Beliefs Toward Animals, Andrea Michelle Wilson

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The current study aims to expand on the human-animal relations literature through a social identity lens, using 231 participants recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Americans consume large amounts of meat, yet many people feel morally conflicted by enjoying meat, yet killing animals. These feelings can be tied to one’s identity, through identifying as a vegetarian, meat-eater, or animal lover. Humans tend to attach themselves to a social group, act on behalf of that group’s norms and values, and use their groups to reduce feelings of uncertainty by adopting group normative attitudes and behaviors. People who identify strongly with all of …

Effects Of Atomoxetine On Circadian Rhythms And Locomotor Activity, Rhiannon Ryder Crimmins

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurological disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. Many people with ADHD who are taking pharmacological treatments also report having sleep problems, and both children and adults tend to fall asleep later than neurotypical people. Since diagnosis and treatment of ADHD are on the rise, understanding how the disorder and common medications influence circadian rhythms is becoming more important. Zebrafish are a common animal model that have been shown to reliably represent features of many human disorders, including ADHD. Hypothesis: The specific hypotheses tested were: (H1) that a …