Sociology Commons^™

Early Parental Loss, Socioeconomic Stressors, And Health In Later Life: Evidence For Gender Disparity, Rong Fu

Open Access Dissertations

Drawing from the stress process model and the cumulative disadvantage theory, this dissertation examined how childhood and later life stressors affected cognitive and subjective health in older adults. Using three main articles, this dissertation investigated (1) the effect of early parental loss on cognitive well-being in Chinese oldest old; (2) the effect of intergenerational socioeconomic mobility on cognitive and subjective health in advanced age; and (3) the effect of different dimensions of socioeconomic status and perceived financial strain on subjective health in later life. Data were derived from the 2002 and 2005 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. …

Women In Gaming: A Study Of Female Players’ Experiences In Online Fps Games, M Allison Mcdaniel

Honors Theses

Existing literature has long been divided over whether the gaming world fosters violence and misogyny or provides a space for people to explore diverse identities. Not enough is known about how women experience videogames, especially the hypermasculine environment of first-person shooter (FPS) games. Competition, violence, and war, are dominant features of these games. The following thesis explores what harassment and discrimination women playing FPS games face, how they respond, and in what ways they find games to be empowering. A survey was distributed online to an international sample of 141 female FPS gamers. This research finds that women who play …

服務研習通訊第二十一期 Office Of Service-Learning Newsletters, Volume 21, Office Of Service-Learning, Lingnan University

SLant 嶺召

於本學年起，服務研習成為嶺大本科生的畢業要求。今期《嶺召》介紹三個學系的服務研習課程及計劃，以及海外交流經驗，讓讀者了解服務研習為授課導師、學生及社區帶來的成果。

Starting from this academic year, Service-Learning is a graduation requirement for undergraduate students of Lingnan University. This issue of “Slant” shares the stories of Service-Learning courses and projects from three academic departments and an oversea tour so as to demonstrate the positive impact of Service-Learning on course instructors, students and the community.

The Consequences Of Welfare Bans Of Drug Felony Convictions On Crime, Amanda Sughroue

UCARE Research Products

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) was enacted in August of 1996, causing a major transformation in the US welfare system (1). • This study focused on one of the provisions, Section 115, which places a lifetime ban on receiving welfare through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) for those who are convicted of a drug felony in the states that adopted the provision. • About half of the states opted out of the ban. • The intention of the provision was to cut down on drug use and drug …

Approved For All Audiences: A Longitudinal Content Analysis Of The Portrayal Of Women In Movie Trailers, Brooke S. O’Neil

Masters Theses

Movie trailers are ever present in our society and impactful in the way society constructs views about various aspects of life. Trailers are unique in that they are specifically tailored and edited to entice audiences to buy tickets to the film. Further, prior research has indicated that in various forms of media, women are continuously underrepresented, disproportionately sexualized, stereotyped, and victimized. The present study examines the portrayal of women through a content analysis of 230 of the top grossing trailers across seven decades: 1950-2015. The research focuses on women’s representation, sexualization, gender roles, and violence. The analysis reveals that in …

Snatching Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory: The Curious Case [Study] Of California’S Proposition 37, Dave Brundage

Masters Theses

In 2012, California became the first state to qualify a ballot measure for public vote on the topic of genetically modified food labeling. Proposition 37, The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, enjoyed overwhelming support leading up to the November elections. However, an 11th hour surge by the opposition led to its defeat. This case study examines the media messages deployed by the pro and antilabeling groups in an effort to understand how each side attempted to curry favor to their cause. Content analysis was performed on 27 television, radio, and internet advertisements broadcast during the campaign. Focused …

Breastfeeding Matters : Infant Feeding Decision Making And Mothering Sense Of Competence Among Korean American Mothers, Soo-Bin You

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The current study examined the influence of ecological variables in breastfeeding role expectations on mothers’ sense of competence in infant care, and the mediating effect of breastfeeding experience of mothers on the relationship between breastfeeding role expectations and mothering sense of competence. Thirty nine Korean American mothers who have babies under 18 months old participated in the survey asking about various ecological factors in breastfeeding role expectation, their actual breastfeeding experience, and mothering sense of competence. Findings suggested that each ecological variable (i.e. mother self, baby, family, and community) influencing Korean American mothers’ breastfeeding role expectation was differently related to …

Student Attitudes Toward The Transgender Community Following Restroom Reassignment, Kelly L. Duggins

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to investigate the effect recent changes to gender specific restrooms had on students’ attitudes toward the transgender community at a public research university in the southeastern United States. To determine if further education and/or inclusion actions should be implemented by university communities, an invitation to complete an electronic survey was sent by email to students at Old Dominion University’s main campus in Norfolk, VA. Participants responded to seventeen statements, each designed to collect data relating to one of the four research objectives of this study. The findings of this study may be used to …

A Study Of Old Dominion Student Opinions On Crimes Committed With Firearms By Convicted Felons, William Domebnick Euefueno

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to determine college student’s opinions regarding crimes committed by convicted felons with the use of firearms. This study was undertaken to determine if students support more aggressive legislation regarding the purchasing of firearms, specifically targeting convicted felons, to further prevent them obtaining weapons.

In identifying the methods to be used to obtain data for the study, the researcher reviewed the current laws pertaining to owning and possessing firearms, as well as national gun violence statistics for the past decade. This was broken down further by looking at criminal activity, and gun violence reported from …

An Evaluation Of The Acceptability And Effects Of A Computer-Delivered Values-Based Behavioral Activation Treatment For Depression Among Older Adults, Kellie Reynolds

Dissertations

Depression is a common psychological disorder among older adults and is associated with serious secondary effects to health and social well-being. Behavioral activation has been found to be an efficacious treatment for depression. However, there is limited research on the treatment effects of behavioral activation with older adults. In general, older adults under-utilize mental health treatments. Computer-delivered treatments have been developed to address access and under-utilization. The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the acceptability and effects of a computer-delivered values-based behavioral activation treatment for depression in older adults. This study consisted of two phases. Phase I consisted of …

The Effect Of Face-To-Face Versus Computer-Mediated Communication On Interpersonal Outcomes In Getting-Acquainted Situations, Nicole Rae Brandon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People use technology more today than ever before to self-disclose and form new relationships with others. Successful relationship development is often marked by the presence of positive interpersonal outcomes (i.e., closeness and liking). However, there is contention regarding whether computer-mediated communication (CMC) is as effective at developing positive interpersonal outcomes compared to face-to-face (FtF) communication. CMC is often considered subpar due to the lack of nonverbal cues that can be expressed. Two studies were designed to 1) compare the effect of FtF and CMC platform self-disclosures on closeness and liking in zero-acquaintance situations and 2) explore mediators that might explain …

A Framework For Measurement Error In Self-Reported Health Conditions, Ling Li, Perry Singleton

Center for Policy Research

This study develops and estimates a model of measurement error in self-reported health conditions. The model allows self-reports of a health condition to differ from a contemporaneous medical examination, prior medical records, or both. The model is estimated using a two-sample strategy, which combines survey data linked medical examination results and survey data linked to prior medical records. The study finds substantial inconsistencies between self-reported health, the medical record, and prior medical records. The study proposes alternative estimators for the prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed conditions and estimates the bias that arises when using self-reported health conditions as explanatory variables.

Revisiting Social Isolation In America: An Egocentric Analysis Of "Feel Close To" Networks, Chao Liu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Evidences from interpersonal networks in which Americans discuss “important matters” (core discussion networks) suggest that Americans have become increasingly isolated. Using the national representative Science of Generosity Survey 2010, this paper revisits the issue of Social isolation. The survey asked respondents to name the people they felt close to in the last six months. On average, respondents mentioned 3.87 people they felt close to, a significant increase from the 1985 (2.94) and 2004 (2.08) core discussion networks. Education, income, and gender are significant explanatory variables for the “feel close to” networks. People with high education, those with high income, and …

Black Male Emerging Adults: Investigating Inequalities In Adult Transitions, Social Learning, And Criminality, De Andre' Terrell Beadle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emerging adulthood is a life stage that developed as a result of numerous macro-structural changes in recent decades (Arnett 2015), and which has implications for life course criminality and identity formation (Massoglia & Uggen 2010). Much research has been done in the area of the new life stage known as “emerging adulthood,” however little to no research has been done on how emerging adulthood relates to or changes classic findings in criminology, especially about the importance of disadvantages embedded in racial inequalities. This mixed method study analyzes data from the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR) to examine Social …

The Ostroms' Commons Revisited, Roger A. Lohmann

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Elinor and Vincent Ostrom spent most of their careers working in fields other than third sector studies. Even so, a significant amount of their work has implications for our field. Together they founded the Workshop on Political Theory and Policy at Indiana University and with students and colleagues built a large body of research and theory on a range of topics including self-governance, collaboration, co-production, polycentrism, federalism, and commons. The Ostroms, the Workshop and their networks of students and colleagues, also constitute an interesting example of one of their latest and most recent contributions, the knowledge commons. Their highly regarded …

(Still) Building A More Diverse Workforce In The Highway Trades: 2016 Evaluation Of The Odot/Boli Highway Construction Workforce Development Program, Lindsey Wilkinson, Maura Kelly

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) have partnered in a statewide effort—the Highway Construction Workforce Development Program—to recruit, train, and employ a diverse workforce for highway construction jobs throughout the state. This program, begun in 2010, supports pre-apprenticeship programs and provides financial assistance (i.e. fuel assistance, support for overnight travel, childcare, and work clothes, tools, and protective equipment) and non-financial support (i.e. counseling, formal mentoring, social support) in an effort to increase the recruitment and retention of women and people of color in Oregon’s highway construction trades.

In 2014, Measure of America, …

Is It Any Clearer? Generic Qualitative Inquiry And The Vsaieedc Model Of Data Analysis, Dawn M. Kennedy Ph.D.

The Qualitative Report

This article was designed to assist the novice researcher in determining if a generic qualitative research approach is appropriate for their intended research or dissertation. The article is intended to offer clarification of the approach and builds upon Caelli, Ray, and Mill’s (2003) call for standardized generic qualitative inquiry guidelines. The article takes the researcher through a process of self-evaluation to determine alignment with the five qualitative traditions. While generic qualitative inquiry has been posited to be an easy route, no experience necessary, it’s reliance on the method and tools of traditional qualitative methodologies, quickly can lead the novice researcher …

Effects Of Classroom-Based Physical Activities On Off-Task Behaviors And Attention: Kindergarten Case Study, Sara Wiebelhaus, Michelle Fryer Hanson

The Qualitative Report

The qualitative case study’s purpose was to determine if classroom-based physical activities would affect student off-task behaviors during instruction and students’ perceptions of ability to focus before and after activities. Research questions focused on kindergarteners’ ability to focus after classroom-based physical activity, perceptions of their ability to focus change with implementation of classroom-based physical activity, and effect of classroom-based physical activity on behavior. Kindergarteners were involved in daily activity stations such as jumping on trampolines, walking balance beams, crawling, and hopscotch. Three students were purposively selected as participants. Data were collected using interviews, video recordings, field notes, and off-task behavior …

New And Innovative Ways Of Engaging Data: A Review Of Davies’ Listening To Children: Being And Becoming, Austin G. Oswald

The Qualitative Report

The growing use of diverse qualitative approaches in the social sciences has lead qualitative researchers to seek new and innovative ways of engaging their data. Davies’ book Listening to Children: Being and Becoming is just that. Listening to Children is a scholarly text intended for an academic audience. Davies applies guiding principles of new materialism in her research and demonstrates how this approach is rich with potential when researching with children. Akin to a how-to-book for new materialism and childhood research, Davies walks her audience through the diverse analytic possibilities of new materialism within the setting of child studies. In …

Rethinking Greece: Despina Lalaki On Hellenism, State-Building, Archaeology And The "Democratic West", Despina Lalaki

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.