Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Can White Nationalist Rhetoric Increase Prejudice Toward Mexican Immigrants?, Nathan Lewey

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The Western populism wave of ethno-nationalism (i.e., exclusionary resistance to egalitarianism: exclusionist belief in the superiority of ingroup goals over superordinate goals that are inclusive of all cultures) may increase prejudice toward minorities (Schmuck & Matthes, 2017). Integrated threat theory (ITT; Stephan & Stephan, 1996) states that prejudiced attitudes are mediated by four types of threat, which are affected by quantity and quality of intergroup contact (Stephan et al., 2000). These threats include realistic threat (e.g., fear of losing one’s job to an immigrant), symbolic threat (e.g., fear of losing one’s societal values/norms to a foreign culture), intergroup anxiety, and …

Do We Want Them To Understand Each Other? Perceptions Of Political Perspective-Takers, Ian Beatty

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

America has been more divided along partisan lines in recent years (Pew Research Center, 2019). One major factor contributing to this polarization is a lack of understanding regarding why members of political out-groups maintain their beliefs. The simple act of perspective-taking may help to counter the negative effects of this ideological division. Although the benefits of perspective-taking are well documented (Batson, Polycarpou et al., 1997), less is known regarding perceived perspective-taking or perceptions of perspective-takers. In this study, I explore whether the benefits of perspective-taking can be achieved by witnessing a member of the political in-group take the perspective of …

Intimate Partner Violence Stigma: The Intersection Of Race And Socioeconomic Status, Antoinette Fleming

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Approximately 36% of all women in the United States will experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at some point in their lifetime (Smith et al., 2018). Intimate partner violence can cause physical injury, poor mental health, chronic health problems, hospitalization, disability, or death (Breiding et al., 2015). Stigma is another consequence associated with IPV. Many victims of IPV report feeling guilt, denial, shame, and embarrassment as a result of the intimate partner violence victimization (Lichtenstein, 2006). Additionally, African American (Black) victims may be more heavily stigmatized than European American (White) victims. Socioeconomic status (SES) may also affect a person’s perception of …

Doing Corpus Pragmatics: Variations In Speech Acts Performed In Conversations Occurring Naturally In Academic Contexts, Jacob Philip Rigal

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

Gender Performance And Political Identity At The January 6 Capitol Insurrection, Emma Elise Newton

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The January 6 Capitol insurrection was heavily documented with recorded videos and photos, across legacy and social media. Despite engaging in criminal acts, many participants recorded themselves participating in the attack and posted their videos to Parler, a right-wing alternative to Facebook and Twitter that gained traction among the far-right, QAnon conspiracy theorists, and white supremacy groups. These social media videos detail an interesting rhetorical dynamic at play, one that is not so recognizable in legacy media: performances of sex/gender. Analyzing videos uploaded to a conservative social media landscape provides a lens into performances of gender as it intersects with …

Media Framing Of Marriage Practices In Afghanistan, Hakima Afzaly

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Culturally, in Afghanistan, marriage is given much importance and seen as something that completes life. Through this study, I analyze how marriage practices, such as dowry (Mahr), bride price, and the “virginity ritual,” are described in newspapers and magazines of Afghanistan. In particular, I explore how the popular press, such as 8 Sobh and Khama Press in Afghanistan frame their discussion of marriage practices. The findings from this analysis reveal that newspapers and magazines of Afghanistan frame marriage as an economic issue and a major focus of the articles is on the financial pressure on poor families due to the …

Changes In Reproductive Behavior And Birth Patterns During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Sakartvelo (The Republic Georgia) [რეპროდუქციული ქცევასა და შობადობის ცვლილებები კოვიდ-19 პანდემიის დროს საქართველოში], Nino Mateshvili

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Because of the increased frequency and extent of large-scale disasters, including health events, there is a need to better understand the impacts of these disasters on key demographic processes. In particular, in the European countries, including the Republic of Georgia (Sakartvelo), which already face demographic problems, such as aging population and decreasing birth rates, researchers and policymakers are concerned with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on demographic indicators and processes, such as birth rates and reproductive behavior. That is why it is very timely to collect and analyze initial evidence establishing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as a …

Effects Of Perceived Reach On Ratings Of Media Bias, Quality, And Agreement, Matthew Sedlacek

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The hostile media effect refers to individuals’ tendencies to perceive seemingly neutral news coverage as biased against their stance (Vallone et al., 1985). Research has shown this effect in partisan politics, with liberals and conservatives perceiving bias in information presented from the opposing side. The current study examined the effects of liberal or conservative and small or large audience news source manipulations on liberals’ and conservatives’ perceptions of media bias and the relationship between partisan identity and perceptions of bias. Three hundred and sixty participants read a news article presented with either a Fox News, CNN, PatriotNewsDaily, or The Progressive …

Not Our Problem: Ingroup Glorification Facilitates Moral Disengagement And Exclusion, Matthew Gunderson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The present study examined how ingroup/outgroup identification and harm predict cognitive restructuring and the shifting of blame. Drawing on Moral Disengagement Theory (Bandura, 1999), which holds that individuals create a new version of reality that allows them to violate their moral beliefs, I hypothesized that implicating the ingroup, lower levels of perceived harm, and higher ingroup glorification would result in more moral disengagement. Integrating Moral Disengagement Theory with Moral Exclusion Theory (Opotow, 1990), I further hypothesized that moral exclusion—the removal of others from the moral community—would also be greater. 422 participants recruited over Prolific read a modified news article about …

Psychopathy And Emotion Regulation: The Mediating Role Of Motives And Goals, Morning S. Baker

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between psychopathy and emotion regulation as serially mediated by emotional motives and goals in an all-male sample. Six serial mediation models were proposed, three for each motive-type (i.e., hedonistic, instrumental), and two for each emotion (i.e., anger, fear, joy). Eight-hundred and seventy-eight participants were recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Results indicate that male MTurk workers with greater levels of psychopathy have poorer emotion regulation, emotion goals for experiencing anger and fear, hedonistic and instrumental motives for experiencing anger and fear, emotion goals for not experiencing joy, and hedonistic and …

How Have You Experienced Being On Testosterone? Narrative Inquiry Into The T-Body Experience, Noah Andrew

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This qualitative research project is an inquiry into understanding how testosterone-bodied (T-bodied) individuals experience testosterone. The term T-bodies is a more inclusive way to describe all individuals who are taking testosterone for the purpose of transition, as not all of those people identify as strictly transgender. This research uses qualitative interviews and storytelling to allow for T-bodied people to tell their stories and allow for better understanding of the bodies undergoing transition. The key result from this study is understanding that while people might finally feel comfortable in their bodies due to the changes testosterone gives them, they also find …

Examining Individual Differences In Attitudes Toward The Insanity Defense, Dominique M. Kornely

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the present study was to examine how individual differences in stigma against people who are mentally ill, free will beliefs, just world beliefs, and sentencing goals are associated with attitudes toward the insanity defense. Because there are many misconceptions about what the insanity defense is, and how it is actually used as a sentence, the Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) plea may be underutilized due to public opinions reflecting misunderstanding and/or possible biases (Perlin, 2017). Understanding the relation between individual beliefs and attitudes about the insanity defense would help to better understand potential biases present …

Pasting Our Past: Cultural Memory, Family Photographs, And Ephemeral Street Art, Isaac Wilson Campbell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis examines ephemerally pasted vernacular photograph murals positioned as artifacts of cultural memory. The creative method portion of the thesis, in partnership with the Department of Communication and Media at the University of Northern Iowa, and funded through a Cedar Falls Community Betterment grant and an Iowa Arts Council project grant, includes the Spring 2021 production of a series of nine pasted murals of vernacular photographs sourced from the Fortepan Iowa archive. The creative component of the thesis project is a public art exhibition preserved through a photographic record of the installation process, the completed murals, and a framework …

Redefining What's Manly: Using Masculine Attributes To Describe Counseling Services For Men, Riley Nicholas Rodemaker

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Men are diagnosed with mental illness at a similar rate to women, and men deal with similar levels of impairment (Kessler et al., 1994). Despite this impairment, men do not seek help for their mental health as often as women do (Smith et al., 2013). One reason may be that counseling is seen as feminine. In this thesis, I describe an experimental study that examined the effect of using masculine attributes to describe counseling services on men’s attitudes. Adult male participants ages 18 to 35 (N = 818) read a short story that featured a conversation with a friend that …

The Beef Debate: Religion, History, And Harmony In India, Shreya Singh

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In this thesis, I analyze the rhetoric circulating during the 1977-78 textbook controversy debates and further probe into the politics of religion and identity in post-Independence India. I discuss the subsequent issues that have emerged due to a deeply divided and disputed historical narrative about who Indians are (and who they should be) as well as how Hindus and Muslims have internalized their identities. Further, I analyze Rajya Sabha debates from 1977-78 to trace the ideograph as it moves through Indian political discourse and discuss its implications for Indian multiculturalism and communal coexistence.

Agrochemicals And Rural Women's Health In The Volta Region Of Ghana, Sedomda Kpikpitse

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Steered by the demand to improve and increase farm production, agrochemicals are regularly used by many farmers globally. However, agrochemical usage has contributed to many chronic illnesses experienced by users such as reproductive disorders, different kinds of cancers, and some chronic respiratory diseases. There are several regional and global coalitions to regulate the prevalence of agrochemicals to ensure their safe usage. Even though people can have access to some approved chemicals, the proper handling of these chemicals is not guaranteed. Many qualities of the person handling the chemical could increase or reduce the risk associated with agrochemicals. The behavior of …

Effects Of Exposure To Video Games On Sexual Harassment, Chelsea Renee Washburn

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Previous research has suggested a positive relationship between video game play and negative outcomes, with the APA going so far as to publish a press release on the negative effects of violent media (APA, 2005, 2015a, 2015b; Anderson et al., 2010; Kepes et al., 2017). However, critics argue that these results are marred by publication bias and are overstated (Ferguson, 2007; Ferguson et al., 2020; Hilgard et al., 2017). The current study examined the relationship between the amount of time participants played video games and engaged in sexual and general harassment, and examined whether exposure to video game violence, hostile …

Analyzing Perceptions Of Citizen Science As Part Of An International Learning Experience, Katelyn Marie Miner

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study focused on a perceptions-based citizen science project that emphasizes meaning over measurement. Specifically, student perceptions of citizen science in a unique location, rather than the specific data outcomes of the water quality citizen science activity were analyzed. Many researchers have used citizen science participants to collect samples from water sources around them, increasing the use of mass data collection for scientific purposes.This study was a mixed-methods design, using triangulation of the pre-survey, modified focus group, and post-survey. The goal was to gauge the perceptions of participants in perceived benefits and gains before and after participating in a water …

Quality And Quantity Of Social Support In College Students With Adhd Symptomatology, Chloe J. Reeble

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Social support is an important factor in both physical health and mental well-being. Both the quality and quantity of social support have been found to be a protective factor in some mental illnesses. Individuals with ADHD often have a hard time maintaining peer relationships because of the symptoms of the disorder. This may result in low social support quality and quantity, which may in turn affect social impairment, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. This study examines the relation between ADHD and social support in college students. Findings show that social impairment significantly predicts lower social support quality and …

Quantifying Carbon Sequestration For Riparian-Zone Restoration In Ecuador, Paula Carvalho De Castro

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Carbon sequestration supported by carbon pricing and carbon offset programs has the potential to mitigate the risks associated with environmental change. Riparian-zone restoration, beyond enriching degraded ecosystems, promotes carbon sequestration. With that premise, this study aims to estimate and compare how much carbon is captured and stored using six riparian-zone restoration scenarios for the Northwestern part of the Pichincha Province in Ecuador and the economic value of the respective carbon. The InVEST Carbon Storage and Carbon Sequestration Model which integrates land cover maps, carbon pools, and economic value of carbon in currency units was used to quantify the amount of …

Geospatially-Intelligent Three-Dimensional Multivariate Methods For Multiscale Dasymetric Mapping Of Urban Population: Application And Performance In The Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area, Nikolay Golosov

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The wide availability of remote sensing data, the development of computer technology, and the accessibility of census data in the digital form created new opportunities for highly accurate population estimates. Of particular scientific interest is the method of dasymetric mapping, which can significantly improve the spatial accuracy of mapping socio-demographic processes. In addition to population density, the method has considerable potential in mapping the distribution of other social, economic and demographic variables, such as income level, crime, ethnicity, etc. Another significant gap in the existing studies is the development of three-dimensional dasymetric mapping methods.

This study is focused on developing …

Job Satisfaction And Burnout Among Hospice Nurses Working On Interdisciplinary Teams: A Multimethod Study, Hillary Hamilton

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This multimethod study examined three hypotheses and two research questions: (H1a) Interdisciplinary collaborative communication is positively related to hospice nurses’ experience of job satisfaction in the context of team-based care, (H1b) Interdisciplinary collaborative communication is negatively related to nurses’ experience of burnout in the context of team-based care, (H2) Interdisciplinary collaborative communication is negatively related to nurses’ intent to leave their organization, (RQ1) How does interdisciplinary collaborative communication influence hospice nurses’ experience of job satisfaction and burnout in the context of team-based care?, (RQ2) How does work site influence hospice nurses’ experience of job satisfaction and burnout in the context …

Examining African American Male Mentors Relationships With African American Boys: Benefits, Barriers, Recruitment, And Retention, Quenton Angelo Richardson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Currently there is a shortage of African American male mentors available to build meaningful relationships with young African American boys and young men. Approximately 200,000 youth mentors are working in community agencies in any given year, yet only 6% of these mentors are African American men. Research supports that youth can benefit from a homogeneous mentoring relationship. Very limited research has been conducted that explores the benefits, barriers, recruitment, and retention of African American male mentors from an African American perspective. Therefore, this research gathers information and explores the benefits and barriers of African American adult males who mentor young …

Hi God: An Autoethnography Of Loneliness In Graduate School, Grace Elisabeth Mertz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

I may have started college too early. My fifteen-year-old homeschooled mind could not have predicted the identity shift that higher education would demand of me. I did not expect academia to be filled with people who shared my background and beliefs, but I was, in many ways, unprepared for the way my Christianity would be challenged in the classroom and in my professors’ offices. After seven years of education within the structures of academia, I certainly have not lost my faith, but the way I think about, talk about, and practice it has tangibly changed. The questions I ask of …

Challenging Social Systems Under The Threat Of Pollution: Replication And Extension Of Eadeh And Chang (2019), Dylan J. Pieper

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

I replicated and extended Eadeh and Chang (2019; Study 2) who found that reading a story about pollution harming a child increased self-reported liberalism and increased support for environmental regulation policies through greater negative affect (i.e., anger and disgust) (Hypothesis 1). Eadeh and Chang’s (2019) threat-affordance model posits that perceived threat can increase greater support for liberalism or greater support for conservatism, depending on the type of threat. In contrast, Jost and colleagues’ (2003) system justification theory posits that perceived threat asymmetrically predicts greater support for conservatism and greater systemsupporting collective action. This article advances a synthesis of these two …

Young Athletes' Perceptions Of Playing Through Pain, Aubri Keesee

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Throughout the early career of an athlete, they are introduced and socialized into the sport ethic culture of risk of playing through pain. The purpose of this paper was to examine factors thought to influence young athletes’ conformity to the sport ethic by playing through pain. These factors included: athletic identity, fear of failure, and perceived pressure from important others to play through pain (Jessiman-Perreault & Godley, 2016; Nixon, 1994). The researcher contacted sport club organizations, recreational clubs, and school principals to seek cooperation. Participants included 140 male and female athletes aged 11-18 years old. Participants completed the Risk of …

The Impact Of Severe Mental Health On Peers In Supporting Roles: A Look At Secondary Trauma And College Students, Courtney Tripp-Stuck

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Evidence indicates directors of college counseling centers and those in student affairs roles have observed a steep increase in the number of severe mental health crises on their campuses, thereby also impacting student leaders and those in helping roles as counseling centers try to adapt to the influx of need (Kitzrow, 2003; CAS, 1999). Additionally, there is evidence to support students are more likely to turn to peers first when experiencing mental health crises than they are to seek out professional help (Drum, Brownson, Burton-Denmark, Smith, & Roberts, 2009; Gallagher, 2013). The goal of this study is to examine whether …

Pluralistic Ignorance Of Campus Norms, Evan Stilgenbauer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Changes on college campuses and movements such as #MeToo have highlighted problem behaviors such as sexual assault. Many problems and behaviors related to and including sexual assault can be attributed to misperceptions of norms and peer beliefs, which can lead individuals to act in ways they would not normally condone. It is unclear whether #MeToo or other changes over time may have affected perceptions of norms and their relation to problematic behaviors that perpetuate sexual assault.

There were three goals for the current study. My first goal was to assess the difference among perceived norms and actual norms in a …

Bleeding Cuts, Magical Spells, Sealed Hymens: A Study Of The Rite Of Tasfih In Algeria, Ahlam Laouar

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The Algerian society attributes great importance to female virginity and, as such, people go to great lengths in order to protect it. One of the methods used to protect female virginity is the practice of Tasfih. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the rite of Tasfih as practiced by Algerian women. This study includes discussions of how this practice came into existence and the ways in which it is done. It also examines the relationship between female sexuality and family honor.

Before interviewing women about the ritual, I explore the current literature on Tasfih, female sexuality, and family …

Through Their Eyes: Exploring The Relationship Between College Females' Body Perceptions And Recreation Center Messaging, Sydney Leigh Ann Cindrich

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The study aimed to investigate the influence that recreation center promotional messaging had on college females’ body perceptions. Body perceptions among young adult females have been linked to mental health (McKay, 2013; Miner-Rubino, Twenge, & Fredrickson, 2002). Female participants 18 to 25 years of age (N = 137, Mage = 20.41) from a mid-sized, Midwestern university completed two separate body perception questionnaires. These questionnaires assessed body appreciation (functionality) and body shame (objectification). Participants were divided into three groups and shown a collage of recreation center messages that were portraying one of three conditions (a) body functionality, (b) self-objectification, or (c) …