Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Vladimir Putin’S Leadership Traits Over 11 Years: A Longitudinal Study Of Putin’S Third Term In Office Using Leadership Trait Analysis, Payton J. Casteel

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

While an abundance of literature has studied the actions and behaviors of Vladimir Putin, the most extensive area involves leadership analysis (Semenova and Winter 2020). Various methods within political psychology have used analyses to study Putin throughout his time in office. However, no published research has studied Putin using leadership trait analysis, nor have any published works studied his changes in leadership leading up to the invasion of Ukraine. Using a mixed methods longitudinal study design on Vladimir Putin from 2012 to 2023, five periods in his third term were identified, with speeches taken and coded using the seven LTA …

Framing Maternity Care Access In The United States: A Comparative Analysis Of Online News Sources, Esther Dowell

Masters Theses

The ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in the Dobbs V. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case has far-reaching consequences for maternity care in the United States. One of these consequences is limiting or eliminating access to maternity care, not just access to abortion. The news served as an essential source of information regarding the leaked opinion in the Dobbs case and continues to be vital in disseminating information regarding the effects of the decision.

This study took a qualitative approach through use of content analysis to examine how limited access to maternity care and maternity care …

Comics About Organs: Social Support And Graphic Medicine In The Awkward Yeti, Jacob Gibb

Theses and Dissertations

Comic strips have always been a medium for more than humor. Many comic strips published on social media sites address mental health issues. Despite their popularity, the field of graphic medicine, which examines the intersection of health care and comics, has seen little to no examination of how these comics function on social media. Utilizing the popular comic The Awkward Yeti, this research examines how the rhetorical devices of comics make them an ideal medium for communicating about mental health issues and providing social support to social media users. This study conducts a content analysis of 15 Instagram posts from …

Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Among Racial And Ethnic Minority Groups: A Content Analysis, Tyson William Lovell

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, racial and ethnic minority (REM) communities have faced reduced access to resources for mental and emotional health issues. While research has placed a greater emphasis on REM experiences, there is still a need to further understand the unique contextual factors surrounding mental health challenges among these marginalized groups. Research on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) among REM communities is one area in need of further evaluation. Therefore, this study is a content analysis of literature analyzing the current research focused on the intersection of REM communities and OCD experiences. The purpose of the study is to analyze OCD research among …

My Ceo Has An Instagram? An Analysis Of Fortune 500 Ceo’S Personal Instagram Accounts, Courtney Dail Francis

Masters Theses

As social media evolves and changes, so does the need to be more active online. This need also applies to CEOs who have a direct pipeline to consumers. What CEOs post can have an impact on their organization and give a greater understanding as to who they are as a person, not just as a business leader. In this quantitative study, Fortune 500 CEO Instagram accounts are analyzed to better understand the overall theme of the content they are posting. It was found that the most popular styles posted on these accounts was personal posts and company/CEO/industry news and events. …

Netflix’S Role In Reshaping The Global Audience’S Perception Of Arabs And Muslims, Menatalla Abbas

Theses and Dissertations

This research study investigates Netflix’s role in reshaping the global audience’s perceptions of Arabs and Muslims. The aim of this study is to understand how Netflix has positioned itself as a powerhouse in the streaming-service industry, and whether or not it has been able to use that power to promote authenticity, diversity, and inclusion. This study employed the triangulation method in order to develop a cohesive understanding of how, and to what extent, Netflix has reshaped the global audience’s perceptions of Arabs and Muslims. A content analysis of four Netflix Original Arabic productions were chosen, consisting of two series: Finding …

Marxist Analysis Of Social And Economic Narratives In Childrens' Cartoons, Shane Mcgregor

Theses and Dissertations

Using a Marxist framework with a grounding in critical literacy, this study employs a content analysis methodology to analyze 25 episodes of five of the most popular children’s television cartoons in order to understand how these cartoons portray economic and social systems, as well as how the messages these cartoons express would tend to support these systems. In so doing, this research hopes to provide a conceptual framework that educators and parents can use as a guide for demonstration of a critical approach to understanding the curriculum of children’s media inside or outside of the classroom. Educators can modify this …

Advocating For Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion: A Study Of The Nhl’S #Hockeyisforeveryone Campaign On Twitter, Jessica Martinez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With more than 6.8 million followers on Twitter (as of Feb. 2023), the National Hockey League (NHL) has a large platform that has the potential to influence societal change not only in the United States and Canada, but also globally. This study aims to understand how corporate social responsibility initiatives pair with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Furthermore, this research seeks to understand how organizations communicate these messages with their publics through social media. This study specifically examines news frames and charity support behaviors implemented by the NHL in messages about its DEI campaign, “Hockey Is For Everyone,” and …

From “The Loss Of The Innocents” To “Crisis Actors”: Media Portrayal Of Rampage School Shootings From 1998-2021, Justice E. Greene

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

As rampage school shootings continue to occur in the United States, media coverage of such shootings continues to evolve. Media is a powerful force for how people form their understandings, opinions, and beliefs and, at least in part, the types of media they consume, it is important to understand how rampage school shootings are conveyed to the public. These shootings go through what is known as an “Issue-Attention Cycle” (Downs 1972) as coverage progresses. Using content analysis, this thesis examines New York Times articles covering nine rampage school shootings from 1998-2021 to see both how media coverage changes over the …

Love, Life, And Controversial Topics: A Content Analysis Of The Top Liked Abortion Tiktok Videos Before And After The Overturning Of Roe V. Wade, Jill E. Sturges

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

TikTok is a trendy social media platform that has attracted billions of monthly users. Anyone can post a short video about their interests, beauty, relationships, travel, and controversial topics if they are 13 or older. Many young adults turn to social media platforms, such as TikTok, to help them make decisions regarding their everyday lives and to discuss controversial topics, such as abortion. The concern with social media content is the misinformation and disinformation that can spread rapidly across the globe with a click of a button. Numerous studies have begun to examine social media platforms for the accuracy of …

Media Portrayal Of Private Prisons And Inmates., Ladye Anna L. Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Private prisons have existed in the United States since 1986, but research about prison privatization has been limited. To date, there have been two published studies examining how mainstream media sources frame prison privatization to their audiences. This thesis attempts to address this gap in the literature. Using content analysis, I evaluate how mainstream media frames prison privatization and inmates housed in private prisons. The analysis is conducted in two parts. The first tests if private prison reduction or expansion is the focus of the news story if framed using economic benefits, ethical concerns, or prisoner violence. The second tests …

Dónde Están Les Latinxs? A Content Analysis Of Latinx Representation Across Three Clinical Disciplines, Haley M. Hinkle

Theses and Dissertations

Latinx, or Hispanic/Latino, minoritized groups experience a broad spectrum of mental health challenges, disparities, and risks at a disproportionate rate compared to both their non-White counterparts and compared to other minorized groups in the U.S. (SAMHSA, 2015). They also experience a number of cultural and individual strengths associated with their values, practices, and resiliencies (Leyva et al, 2022; Gennetian et al, 2021; Calzada et al, 2020). However, given the substantial percentage of Latinxs who live in the United States (18.7%), the mental health needs of this minoritized group are not sufficiently addressed in social science literature, as a number of …

Reporting On Athletes And Mental Health: An Evolution In Language And Lexicon From 1970 To 2019, Vivian Ferris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the spring and summer of 2021, several athletes made headlines for seemingly prioritizing mental health over the status quo of sports society. For example, in May 2021, during the French Open, professional U.S. tennis player Naomi Osaka announced she would not appear at press conferences, despite threats of fines, citing on social media it was for her mental health. The controversy surrounding Osaka and others led to further questions. Looking through the lens of agenda setting and framing theories, the purpose of this study is to better understand the frequency, variety, and evolution of language in journalistic coverage of …

A Content Analysis Of Lgbtqia+ Representation In Anime & American Animation, Ana Bravo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project examines the ways the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community is portrayed in Japanese and American animation and the differences or similarities the portrayals share. My methodology for this study includes a qualitative method. The qualitative research conducted for this capstone project involves a content analysis of three American animated series and three Japanese animated series. Two to three episodes were analyzed for each series, consisting of fifteen episodes altogether. This study will draw on Queer theory to examine and highlight how queer identities and culture are depicted in the two different forms …

Immigration And Social Work: A Content Analysis Of Schools In Liberal States, Yenicka Avila, Stephanie Ibarra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The social work profession vows to defend society’s most vulnerable populations, including undocumented immigrants. Yet, how immigration is perceived in social work education and the extent to which social works schools are integrated this concept in their mission statements and/or social media pages remain understudied in the existing literature. This study is a mixed-methods content analysis of 133 social work schools accredited (or in the process of accreditation) by the Council of Social Work Education (N = 133). It was hypothesized that the proportion of social work schools that overtly/covertly mentioned immigration in their mission statements and Facebook pages will …

The Role Of Memes In An Online Community Created By College Students: A Content Analysis, Jessica Probst

Student Research Submissions

This paper explores how a community is formed in the Facebook group The M in UMW Stands for Memes and what role memes play in shaping a sense of community and sharing information. Based on previous research, there was a common theme found within the results of the studies; memes can be used to communicate information and a shared understanding is needed to have a sustainable online community. I chose to complete this study using a content analysis which allowed for an evaluation of the shared language used in the posts revealing how this mode of communication creates a sustainable …

Elements Of Instagram Influencer Posts That Drive Follower Engagement, Yishan Li

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Influencers are now becoming more popular on social media as a way for brands to promote products and services. The relationship between influencers’ post content and follower engagement deserves more attention. Through a content analysis, this research examines how influencer posts drive follower engagement. The results showed that emojis, campaign hashtags, frequency, and sponsored tags had a significant relationship with follower engagement. The present study sheds light on future research to explore other content variables of influencers’ posts.

Framing Fashion Sustainability In Fashion Magazines, Kristen Ann Mohammadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study explores the framing, dominant frame, story focus, and tone of sustainable fashion coverage in prominent fashion magazines, Vogue and Refinery29, seeking to understand if the publications frame their coverage differently and if the framing changes after the emergence of COVID-19. To do so, this study uses a sample consisting of articles from summer months (May-August) spanning three years (2019, 2020, and 2021), as COVID-19 was first discovered in the United States in 2020. This study uses content analysis methodology to analyze a total of 206 articles. This kind of research is important, as environmental and social issues stemming …

Racial/Ethnic Representation In Prominent Child/Adolescent Clinical Journals: A Content Analysis Of Literature (2000-2019), Jessica E. Diamond

Theses and Dissertations

A focus on racial and ethnic minority youth is crucial considering the projections of growth for these populations in the United States. The Journal of American Academy of Child/Adolescent Psychiatry, Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America were coded for level of focus on minority youth group focus, article topic, and journal trends over time. Latinxs represented 3.2% of published articles (versus 17.8% of the U. S. population), African Americans 3.0% (versus 13.3%), Asian Americans 0.1% (versus 5.9%) and Native Americans 0.9% (versus 1.3%). The top research topics for all minority …

Traditional And Non-Traditional Gender Role Stereotypes In Children’S Animated Films, Rachael Davidson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As gender stereotypes could lead to adherence to rape myths later in life, it is important to study the potential development of gender role stereotypes. Based on the theoretical approach of Bandura’s social learning, this mixed methods study sought to expand the literature on children observing gender stereotypes through film viewing. A content analysis of verbal and body language of the highest grossing animated films between 2017-2019 was conducted. The results indicated that most main characters displayed both traditional and non-traditional gender role stereotypes, which is indicative of gender role flexibility. This shows promise that there could be a moderating …

Green Business And The Culture Of Capitalism: Constructing Narratives Of Environmentalism, Julia S. Jester

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are widespread colloquial arguments claiming that any actions taken to combat climate change will be bad for business and the economy, scaring people into continuing their support for the status quo for fear of their financial security. Alternatively, those attempting to combat ecological destruction have subsequently made transitions to sustainable development of products and shifting consumer behavior within this system. There is one core argument that both sides have, albeit in different ways – capitalism and environmentalism are seemingly incompatible; one cannot be successful without the eradication of the other. While it may appear there are only strict binary …

Catastrophic Failure: How Covid-19 Was Relayed From The Media To The Public, Samuel D. Johnson, Jr.

College of Communication Master of Arts Theses

This research utilizes content analysis and mixed methods as a way of understanding how COVID-19 related information was relayed from the media to the public during crucial times in U.S. history. The information analyzed entails news media broadcasts that occurred from June 26 to October 2, 2020, when the pandemic was on the rise in terms of cases and deaths. In addition to analyzing specific broadcasts, a comparative analysis was conducted between MSNBC vs. Fox News, in an effort to highlight key events that took place during the battle against COVID-19. This research utilizes agenda setting and framing principles to …

The Medical Treatment Of Obesity: On The Page & In The Office, Shayla J. Staley

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This paper sought out the causes of weight discrimination in healthcare. Through content analysis of medical journals, the study illuminated several causes. These causes were used to create a concept matrix surrounding the medicalization of fatness that illustrated how these concepts are defined relationally, as well as how they combine to form the medical conception of the “obesity epidemic”. The concept matrix carries an indirect influence upon weight stigma that can lead to weight discrimination when fat folks seek out healthcare.

Brand Activism And Gender: Nike As A Case Study, Kirsten Rasmussen

Theses and Dissertations

Nike is a prominent company that engages in brand activism, a marketing approach wherein they brand themselves as socially progressive by adopting public stances on controversial social issues. Because Nike resides at the intersection of media and sports, both of which are institutions that gender plays an important role in, an exploration of how Nike constructs gender in its commercials may illuminate the authenticity of its brand activism and progressive politics. Through a content analysis of 131 commercials released by Nike in the past decade, I explore whether their reputation as a socially progressive company extends to genuinely diverse and …

Drought And Food Security In Kenya: Content Analysis Of The Nation And The Standard Newspapers 2018-2019, Mark Simiyu Namaswa

Theses & Dissertations

The study is motivated by repetitive cycles of drought and food security crises in Kenya where there seems to be no solution in dealing with cyclic but erratic weather patterns. The study focused on examining patterns of coverage and prominence of drought and food security stories in two major Kenyan newspapers, The Nation and The Standard and if these trends were event-driven or influenced by among other factors, politics or alters by humanitarian organizations or the scientific community. This study sought to explore media coverage of drought and food security in Kenya over the entire year 2018 and year 2019. …

A Content Analysis Of The Coverage Of Covid-19 In The First Seven Days, Chrystal Celestine Kerubo Onkeo Ms

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored how the Kenyan print media covered Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the first seven days after the first infection was confirmed in Kenya. The was guided by the following research objectives: - (i) To find out the prominence the Kenyan media gave COVID-19 stories in the first seven days following the announcement of patient zero, (ii)To identify the frames that were predominantly used by the media in the coverage of COVID-19 following the announcement of patient zero, and (iii)To examine the extent to which COVID-19 stories published in the first seven days following the announcement of patient …

Perpetuating The Stereotype: Dramatization And The Portrayal Of Cults In Fictional Media, Hannah Lynn Willmore

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This research examines major themes presented in fictional portrayals of cults in popular American television from 2010-2019. Prior research suggests that the manner in which cults are portrayed in fictional media, specifically those relying on sensationalized stereotypes, could influence public perception. This study utilizes qualitative content analysis of one episode from each of the 11 television shows that include cult storylines and examines the portrayal of cults in fictional media. This study draws upon sociological literature such as Weber’s idea of charismatic authority to develop a deeper understanding of how cult portrayal in media influences public perception of cults.

Problematizing Florida’S Extended Reading Time Policy: A Critical Investigation Of Place, Demographics, And Curricula, Carrie L. Gentner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate Florida’s extended reading time (ERT) policy as enacted during the 2016-2017 school year. This policy requires elementary schools ranking among the 300 lowest performing in the state, as measured by state assessments, to provide an additional hour of reading instruction beyond the regular school day. Extending upon the work of a pilot study suggesting an overrepresentation of minoritized students within low 300 schools, this study presents the geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic distributions of the ERT mandate for a criterion sample of seven districts. Further, the pilot study indicated an underrepresentation of minoritized …

Eliminating Silos: Developing System Design For Information Sharing In Violence Prevention, Jacqueline Kulaga

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The 21st century has brought about changing social perspectives on victimization and offender accountability related to sexual violence. States across the United States have established, and continue to develop, legislation and protocols to address such violence. While there has been a great shift in combating this form of violence, it is essential to create structures to enhance services for victims as well as create recommendations for those who work to hold offenders of these violent crimes accountable. This dissertation was conducted using a qualitative content analysis (QCA) of documents from the Palm Beach County Sexual Assault Response Team (PBC SART), …

Paid Family Leave & The Media: A Narrative Policy Framework, Nichole Angelic Horn

Public Affairs Dissertations

This study seeks to understand how paid family leave laws influence traditional gender roles and stereotypes. The mother homemaker/father breadwinner narrative, a prominent concept within feminist circles, assumes particular gendered roles that include women’s responsibility for unpaid labor within the home. The implications of these gendered roles leave women in an economically disadvantaged position. Given the media’s influence in policy making and function to echo current social values, this study utilizes the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) to investigate how the media frames these policies, and whether that framing helps to dismantle traditional gender narratives. This study finds that as these …