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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™

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2012

Theses/Dissertations

HIM 1990-2015

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Articles 1 - 30 of 69

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Impact Of Islam On Women In The Middle East A Discussion Of The Political Role Of Islam In Turkey, Saudi Arabia, And Lebanon, Elise Barimo Dec 2012

The Impact Of Islam On Women In The Middle East A Discussion Of The Political Role Of Islam In Turkey, Saudi Arabia, And Lebanon, Elise Barimo

HIM 1990-2015

The social instability of the Middle East is often assumed to be consequential predominantly from the influences of extreme traditional Islamic practices; with substantial prominence placed upon the treatment of and violence against Middle Eastern women. This discussion seeks to directly prove the prevalence of Islamic influence on Middle Eastern politics and the resulting social instability. This assessment is designed around an interdisciplinary examination of coalescent factors. By assessing the political history, social and cultural lifestyle, and political and legal situation of the region, the assessment examines the contributors to the social instability of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Turkey. The …

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Gender Role Personalities And Physical Attractiveness, Laura Bailly Dec 2012

Gender Role Personalities And Physical Attractiveness, Laura Bailly

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of the current study was to explore whether personality dispositions can influence perceived physical appearance. Past research demonstrates that gendered and non-gendered characteristics lead to differential preferences for potential romantic interests among males and females (e.g., Cash & Smith, 1982). These previous studies have not, however, measured direct influence on pulchritude. In the present study, gendered and non-gendered personality descriptions were paired with pictures of average-looking individuals of both sexes to determine the influence of gender roles on perceived physical attractiveness. I hypothesized that males would find androgynous females more physically attractive than gender-typed and non-gender typed females. …

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A Comparative Analysis Of The Immigration Policy In Italy, France, Norway, And The Role Of The European Union, Christina Belmonte Dec 2012

A Comparative Analysis Of The Immigration Policy In Italy, France, Norway, And The Role Of The European Union, Christina Belmonte

HIM 1990-2015

This thesis analyzes the differing immigration policies and issues within Italy, France and Norway by looking at the factors of historical background, politics, and economics. Each of these factors plays a different role in shaping immigration. Italy with a shift to the center right politically although currently with a technocratic government in power; a large unstable economy; and also a society not quite standardized culturally yet becoming increasingly multi-ethnic with immigration, is beginning to become stricter with immigration policy as it has been increasing in recent years. France with a newly left-wing socialist political party in power after a many …

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Women's Rights In Iran During The Years Of The Shah, Ayatollah Khomeini, And Khamenei, Andrea De La Camara Dec 2012

Women's Rights In Iran During The Years Of The Shah, Ayatollah Khomeini, And Khamenei, Andrea De La Camara

HIM 1990-2015

Women's rights have been a historically controversial issue. This is no exception in Iran, where the struggle between modernization and keeping with traditional Islamic values has been a topic of constant disagreement between political leaders. Women in Iran have experienced many changes in their personal rights and freedoms throughout the decades. This research focuses on religion and culture, the policies of the main leaders of Iran in the past decades, and the role of non-governmental organizations as factors that expand or limit the rights and freedoms of women. It attempts to identify which factor is mostly responsible for the position …

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Immigration Policies In Times Of Crisis A Comparative Study Of The United States And Australia, Nicholas Corvino Dec 2012

Immigration Policies In Times Of Crisis A Comparative Study Of The United States And Australia, Nicholas Corvino

HIM 1990-2015

Although they are two very similar net immigration countries, Australia and the US took very different approaches to immigration policy adoption and implementation and to immigration control, in the last two decades of the 20th century. The literature explains these different approaches by invoking the influence of interest groups, human rights initiatives and the reaction of state institutions to public pressure. This paper proposes an alternative explanation for the difference in immigration policy and control: crisis. Crisis, or a sense thereof, is what leads the population to mobilize and to put pressure on the government for more efficient policies and …

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The Investigation Of A Potential Link Between Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Lucas Driskell Dec 2012

The Investigation Of A Potential Link Between Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Lucas Driskell

HIM 1990-2015

With the advancement of protective gear and medical aid, soldiers are now surviving traumatic experiences that were once fatal. As a result, the prevalence of brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder in military service members has grown. Those who have obtained brain injury are at risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative syndrome. To date, there is no cure, treatment, or diagnostic method (besides autopsy) for chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Because chronic traumatic encephalopathy and posttraumatic stress disorder present many of the same symptoms and have the possibility of deriving from the same traumatic experience, an investigation of a potential …

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The Unending Cycle Of Political Violence In Haiti A Case Study Of The 1991 Coup D'Etat, Lourdes Eliacin Mars Dec 2012

The Unending Cycle Of Political Violence In Haiti A Case Study Of The 1991 Coup D'Etat, Lourdes Eliacin Mars

HIM 1990-2015

Deye mo-n se mo-n is a proverb in Haiti that roughly translates to "Beyond the mountains, more mountains." This saying holds a deep meaning to the Haitian peoples, who have lived through unrelenting violence and poverty. In its 200 years of independence, Haiti's inhabitants have seldom known a decade without political violence. Like the chain of mountains, political violence in Haiti seems to go on forever with no end in sight. Not only are the devastating effects of violence felt within politics, but also in the economic and social sectors of the country. The collapse of these sectors has created …

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Digitization Protocols And Applications For Laser Scanning Human Bone In Forensic Anthropology, Matthew Filiault Dec 2012

Digitization Protocols And Applications For Laser Scanning Human Bone In Forensic Anthropology, Matthew Filiault

HIM 1990-2015

In medico-legal investigations involving unidentified skeletal remains, forensic anthropologists commonly assist law enforcement and medical examiners in their analysis and identification. The traditional documentation techniques employed by the forensic anthropologist during their analysis include notes, photographs, measurements and radiographic images. However, relevant visual information of the skeleton can be lacking in morphological details in 2D images. By creating a 3D representation of individual bones using a laser-scanner, it would be possible to overcome this limitation. Now that laser scanners have become increasingly affordable, this technology should be incorporated in the documentation methodologies of forensic anthropology laboratories. Unfortunately, this equipment is …

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The Effects Of Adoption On Identity Formation A Qualitative Analysis, Lisa Heath Dec 2012

The Effects Of Adoption On Identity Formation A Qualitative Analysis, Lisa Heath

HIM 1990-2015

While evidence suggests that adoptees do not differ from non-adoptees in their ability to achieve a stable sense of identity, much is still unknown about how specifically the fact of being adopted affects one's identity. The purpose of this research is to take a deeper look at the significance and meaning of being adopted to one's sense of identity through qualitative analyses of in depth interviews with adoptees. Participants were recruited from Psychology classes via the SONA system. The participants (N = 16) took part in an in-depth structured interview and completed a survey battery which included a demographic questionnaire, …

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Arts Targeted Local Economic Development Florida Cities With Flair, Jessica Ghersetich Dec 2012

Arts Targeted Local Economic Development Florida Cities With Flair, Jessica Ghersetich

HIM 1990-2015

Promoting economic development is important for many local governments. Economic development plans provide guidance for how local governments can nurture existing businesses as well as attract new industries. Arts and culture can represent a significant component of local economic development efforts. An "arts development strategy" can focus on human capital, the development of local public spaces, and the promotion of culture. Based on a literature review of the concepts of traditional local economic development, this research provide a framework for analyzing local arts strategies and presents the results of in-depth case studies of how a sample of cities in Florida …

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Influencing Opinions About Bats The Impact Of Levels Of Interaction During Educational Presentations, Samantha Hynes Dec 2012

Influencing Opinions About Bats The Impact Of Levels Of Interaction During Educational Presentations, Samantha Hynes

HIM 1990-2015

This experiment was run to see whether the educational presentations done at zoos and other educational facilities are effectively changing patrons' negative misconceptions about the animals they were seeing. Participants were invited to attend one of three educational presentations, where they were exposed to either a low, intermediate or high level of interaction involving a bat. I hypothesized that regardless of the level of interaction, participants would learn the information, but that a higher level of interaction would cause the biggest perceptual change in terms of how participants felt about the bat and the highest degree of learning. Across the …

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Going Natural African American Women And Their Hair, Brittney Dennis Dec 2012

Going Natural African American Women And Their Hair, Brittney Dennis

HIM 1990-2015

The study seeks to gain a better understanding of the term "going natural" in regards to women with natural African American hair. The study also seeks to understand natural hair and reclaiming a positive perspective of acceptance and natural appearance. The study will give light to what it is to have natural hair in present day and calls upon the experience of the Black woman on her journey with her hair and her past.

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Optimal Investment Strategies Using Multi-Property Commercial Real Estate Analysis Of Pre/Post Housing Bubble, Kyle Kundiger Dec 2012

Optimal Investment Strategies Using Multi-Property Commercial Real Estate Analysis Of Pre/Post Housing Bubble, Kyle Kundiger

HIM 1990-2015

This paper analyzes theperformance of five commercial real estate property types (office, retail, industrial, apartment, and hotel) between 2000 and 2012 to determine the U.S. housing crisis'simpact on Real Estate investing. Under the concept of Modern Portfolio Theory, the data was analyzed using investment analysis programs to determine correlation, risk/return characteristics, and trade-offs (Sharpe ratio) as well as the optimal allocation among the individual property types. In light of the results, each property type plays a different role in investment strategies in various economic cycles. Some assets are attractive solely based onpotential return, or risk for return tradeoffs; however, through …

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The Constitutionality Of The Occupy Movement, Yoe Lopez Dec 2012

The Constitutionality Of The Occupy Movement, Yoe Lopez

HIM 1990-2015

The Occupy movement has spread over hundreds of cities nationwide and over 1,500 cities around the world. The movement is formed around a common goal, which is to protest the way government actions or inactions have rooted widespread discontent. The Occupy movement has encountered opposition from the cities and counties where it is located. Arrests have been made for a number of violations of city and county codes including resistance to police orders and disorderly conduct charges. In our country, freedom of speech and the right to protest have been regarded as inalienable rights. The question becomes how to balance …

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Is Economic Value Added (Eva) The Best Way To Assemble A Portfolio?, Tamas Pataky Dec 2012

Is Economic Value Added (Eva) The Best Way To Assemble A Portfolio?, Tamas Pataky

HIM 1990-2015

In search of a better investment metric, researchers began to study Economic Value Added, or EVA, which was introduced in 1991 by Stern Stewart & Co in their book, "The Quest for Value" (Turvey, 2000). Stern Stewart & Co devised EVA as a better alternative to evaluate investment projects within the corporate finance field, later to be considered for use as a performance metric for investor use. A wide array of multinational corporations, such as Coca-Cola, Briggs and Stratton, and AT&T adopted the EVA method, which led to EVA's worldwide acclaim. Several points in the study reveal that EVA does …

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Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy As An Effective Therapy In Comparison To Or In Conjunction With Traditional Therapies, Kristen Wilson Dec 2012

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy As An Effective Therapy In Comparison To Or In Conjunction With Traditional Therapies, Kristen Wilson

HIM 1990-2015

Mental disorders are a prevalent health issue that has an extensive amount of variability in the quantity of disorders, affected populations, and treatment. There are a multitude of approaches or therapeutic methods used by the mental health community. Although each therapy is valuable in unique ways, each therapy may not be suitable to treat every disorder or client. Traditional approaches, such as talk therapy, are effective for certain individuals, whereas some clients may not respond well to any of the traditional talk therapies. When traditional therapies are not working, a referral can be made for a therapy that might suit …

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Food Availability In Eatonville, Florida, Jerian Benwell-Lybarger Aug 2012

Food Availability In Eatonville, Florida, Jerian Benwell-Lybarger

HIM 1990-2015

Food availability is a serious problem for some low-income neighborhoods. This study examines food access in Eatonville, Florida, a small town in Orlando, Florida. Eatonville was one of the first African American towns incorporated into the United States after emancipation. It is a low-income community with 25% of the overall population and 30% of children living below the poverty line. This study will examine the state of food availability through food store and resident surveys in hopes of diagnosing need in order to alleviate it. There are serious implications for residents of cities with inadequate access to nutritious, affordable food. …

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The Role Religion Plays In Attitudes Toward Euthanasia, Rezawana Chowdhury Aug 2012

The Role Religion Plays In Attitudes Toward Euthanasia, Rezawana Chowdhury

HIM 1990-2015

This research investigated the role religion plays in how individuals view euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. One hundred participants from each of the three major monotheistic world religions were given a seven-question survey. The seven questions consisted of statements regarding the knowledge of their own religion, how the participants feel about terminally ill patients and those who have lost vital functions, and also whether or not they believe euthanasia is morally just. It was predicted that the participants who belong to Judaism and Islam viewed euthanasia as morally just and participants who belong to the Christianity viewed euthanasia as morally incorrect.

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Victims Of More Than Just Bias Gender's Influence On Jury Awards And Other Monetary Benefits In Workplace Sexual Harassment Claims, Anthony Ferraro Aug 2012

Victims Of More Than Just Bias Gender's Influence On Jury Awards And Other Monetary Benefits In Workplace Sexual Harassment Claims, Anthony Ferraro

HIM 1990-2015

The main objective in this research was to examine the extent to which gender and gender biases influence monetary benefits received, including jury award amounts, in workplace sexual harassment claims. Two methods were utilized to explore the discrepancies in monetary benefits received based on gender differences. The first method used was a survey to test various gender attitudes, attitudes on sexual harassment, and how influential a victim's gender was on determinations of damage award amounts in sexual harassment cases. 6 two-way factorial univariate between-subject analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were used to analyze the survey data. The second method in this …

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Stock Market Correlations And Cross-Equity Holdings, Radoslav Iliev Aug 2012

Stock Market Correlations And Cross-Equity Holdings, Radoslav Iliev

HIM 1990-2015

The objective of this research is to find how world stock markets correlate with each other and what causes that correlation. Multiple dependent variables that may have a high impact on correlations are tested, with a particular focus on cross-equity holdings. All the variables but one tested significant at the accepted 90% confidence level. The model showed a negative relationship between equity holdings and stock market correlation. The results may inspire further research with more in depth analysis of international equity holdings and investor behavior in world stock markets.

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Experiences With Social Services Among Homeless Lgbtq Young Adults, Fallon Kadel Aug 2012

Experiences With Social Services Among Homeless Lgbtq Young Adults, Fallon Kadel

HIM 1990-2015

My findings imply that homeless LGBTQ young adults are very limited in where they can go to find LGBTQ-accepting services. Even though all the shelters that were interviewed claimed they did not discriminate against LGBTQ persons, they do not provide and are not affiliated with services or programs that are considered to be LGBTQ- accepting. Based on the research, shelters would rather have clients conform to their pre-existing structure rather than the shelters conforming to the specific needs of the clients.; The goal of this research is to explore what programs and services are being provided at various homeless shelters …

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Has The Pendulum Swung Too Far? A Legal Evaluation Of Florida's Child Abuse And Neglect Registry, Julianna Debler Aug 2012

Has The Pendulum Swung Too Far? A Legal Evaluation Of Florida's Child Abuse And Neglect Registry, Julianna Debler

HIM 1990-2015

Over the past several years, increasing public emphasis on preventing child maltreatment has resulted in substantial changes to Florida's child abuse and neglect central registry. Many of these recent changes, aimed at preventing child maltreatment, have resulted in over one million false, unsubstantiated, and inconclusive reports of child abuse and neglect within the last decade. While the information held in reports may be useful for identifying and preventing potential child abuse or neglect, due process concerns have been raised with regards to the process of placing a person's name in a report without providing a hearing for challenging or removing …

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Temporal Trends In Grave Marker Attributes An Analysis Of Headstones In Florida, Patrisha Reynolds Aug 2012

Temporal Trends In Grave Marker Attributes An Analysis Of Headstones In Florida, Patrisha Reynolds

HIM 1990-2015

Grave markers reflect a wealth of information and collectively epitomize society's historic, social, and economic patterns over time. Despite an abundance of cemetery research in other parts of the country, little research has been undertaken to evaluate grave marker attributes in Florida. The purpose of this research was to determine how grave marker attributes have changed over time in north-central, central, and southeast Florida. Data were collected from ten cemeteries in five counties in Florida, representing the grave markers of over 1,100 individuals. Data collection involved visiting each cemetery, photographing markers, and cataloging grave marker attributes. Attributes analyzed included marker …

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Constitutionality Of Drug Possession As A Strict Liability Crime An Analysis Of Florida's Drug Statute, Davis Watson Aug 2012

Constitutionality Of Drug Possession As A Strict Liability Crime An Analysis Of Florida's Drug Statute, Davis Watson

HIM 1990-2015

The United States has a drug issue that is perpetually problematic. Efforts are being made on every level of government to reduce drug use and deter current and potential future users. Some of these efforts however are putting citizen's rights at risk in a manner that threatens the United States Constitution that hails over both the state and federal governments. My thesis will examine Florida's avant-garde approach to simplifying drug convictions through unprecedented legislation that has already been ruled unconstitutional on its face by the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The decade long struggle will …

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The Rise Of Asia's Democratic Space Powers How Japan And India Became The Next Space Powers In The Twenty-First Century, Shane Kunze May 2012

The Rise Of Asia's Democratic Space Powers How Japan And India Became The Next Space Powers In The Twenty-First Century, Shane Kunze

HIM 1990-2015

Since the end of World War II the world has seen several nations expand into the space age. Also after the Second World War, the Cold War began and many nations found themselves allying themselves with either the hegemony of the West or the Communists. Space was no exception in this dilemma, as weaker nations began to develop their own indigenous space programs and had technological diffusion from one of the hegemonies. Japan and India are two democracies that both sought support for their indigenous space programs from the west, particularly from the U.S. These two nations emerged from poverty …

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The Weak Registry The Constitutionality And Effectiveness Of Legal Restrictions On Convicted Sex Offenders, Andrea-Li Medina May 2012

The Weak Registry The Constitutionality And Effectiveness Of Legal Restrictions On Convicted Sex Offenders, Andrea-Li Medina

HIM 1990-2015

Over the last few decades our society has moved towards restricting where sexual offenders can live, work, and overall congregate. This issue has been the focus of great public attention due to the media's role in bringing these offenders to the light. Whether it is through the news, movies, TV series, books, talk shows, newspapers articles, etc., these offenders are constantly being talked about. Every body of government in the United States has moved towards implementing restrictions that are aimed at keeping sex offenders away from places where they are considered a potential danger. However, what it is not talked …

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Real Estate Law The American Dream Transfigured Into The American Mortgage Crisis, Maricruz Aguiar May 2012

Real Estate Law The American Dream Transfigured Into The American Mortgage Crisis, Maricruz Aguiar

HIM 1990-2015

Real Estate law is the body of rules and regulations with legal codes that concern ownership, development and transactions. Real Estate has grown to be one of the main contributors to the nation's financial system. For decades, the housing market has been such an integral part of the economy. Unfortunately, in the beginning of the twenty-first century lax regulatory oversight led the nation to an economic collapse. Indeed, federal, state and local governments have become heavily involved in solving the downward spiral in the economy. This research focuses on the mortgage crisis in order to show how Real Estate law …

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Social Work Students And Competent Practice With Lgbtq Clients, Drionne Arney May 2012

Social Work Students And Competent Practice With Lgbtq Clients, Drionne Arney

HIM 1990-2015

Research suggests that social work students' attitudes towards the LGBTQ populations fail to mirror the expectations of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and its code of ethics. In this cross-sectional research study, a survey distributed to undergraduate and post-graduate part-time and full-time social work students conducted by two students of a post-graduate social work program, is an assessment of social work students' attitudes and knowledge of competent practice with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning clients. This researcher used the findings of the study used to analyze: the relationship between social work students' age and knowledge of competent …

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A Cognitive Investigation Of Computerized Walk-Through Models, Maria Carrillo May 2012

A Cognitive Investigation Of Computerized Walk-Through Models, Maria Carrillo

HIM 1990-2015

The growth of the World Wide Web has prompted many businesses to develop electronic commerce (e-commerce) as a domain where consumers can conveniently purchase their products (Chittaro& Ranon, 2002). Marketing and Human - Computer Interaction (HCI) research has focused on the ways interactivity can improve purchasing experience. One particular technique is through the use of computer models of products known as visual object representations (Ozok& Komlodi, 2009). Research on visual product representations is focused on models of objects typically purchased in a store, such as clothing and electronics, which can usually be manipulated and rotated as desired (Ozok& Komlodi, 2009). …

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Exploring Mdma And Its Therapeutic Potential, Michael Christian May 2012

Exploring Mdma And Its Therapeutic Potential, Michael Christian

HIM 1990-2015

The clinical application of MDMA has long been an issue of great interest for doctors, counselors, researchers, and users alike. Originally synthesized by a pharmaceutical company and subsequently tested on military personnel, the drug was then used by many clinicians and physicians prior to the DEA's strict regulation of the drug, which began in the mid 1980s (Mithoefer et al, 2010). The DEA has classified MDMA a "Schedule 1" drug, which means that it among the most controlled substances, a fact which has hindered the progress of research. For a detailed explanation of the DEA's scheduling of controlled substances, please …

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