Digital Commons Network^™

The Truth Effect And Divided Attention By Picture Memorization, Aedan D. Erickson, Caitlin G. Tjeerdsma, Jacob D. Ostergard

Student Work

The truth effect examines an individual’s likelihood to believe new information with repeated exposure. This study analyzed the effects of a secondary memorization-distraction task on the truth effect and whether familiarity with the subject matter increases the impact of the truth effect. We recruited 95 undergraduate, college students to view a slideshow containing four trivia statements under conditions of repeated or single exposure and assignment or no assignment of a secondary memorization-distraction task. The results showed no effect of a secondary memorization-distraction task on the truth effect and no relationship between repeated exposure and validity scores. Participants’ familiarity of subject …

Operation Evil Empire: The Strategic Weaponization Of Rhetoric In Psychological Warfare, Sabrina Marie Smith

Masters Theses

The Cold War redefined warfare around information, ideology, and perception. Victory depended less on territory and more on legitimacy. In 1983, Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union were extremely high. President Ronald Reagan’s “Evil Empire” speech emerged at a critical juncture, marking a pivotal moment when U.S. foreign policy embraced assertive ideological confrontation. The rhetoric of this speech did more than address the American public; it served as a strategic instrument aimed at weakening Soviet ideological cohesion. It became a turning point in U.S. Cold War rhetoric, targeting both the Soviet leadership and its oppressed …

Faith-Based Practices And Health: The Role Of Faith-Based Guided Meditation In Managing Type 2 Diabetes, Willie M. Velasquez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of my study was to investigate how faith-based guided meditation influences health management behaviors and individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Specifically, I examined its effects on glycemic control, stress levels, and emotional well-being. Current diabetes management approaches, such as medication, diet, and exercise, often fail to address psychological and spiritual aspects critical for effective self-management. Grounded in the Biopsychosocial Model of Health, this mixed-method study explored the potential of faith-centered meditation to promote improved self-care behaviors and enhance emotional resilience. The research included a sample size of 40 participants, male and female, ages 18-60, of diverse backgrounds, divided …

Spirituality Activism And Identity As A Site Of Transformation Based On Gloria Anzaldùa’S Vision Of Resistance, Maria Torres Rey

Bates College Journal of Political Studies

This paper examines Gloria Anzaldùa’s conceptualization of identity as a dynamic site of resistance and healing within Chicana feminist thought. Through frameworks such as mestiza consciousness, Nepantla and spiritual activism, Anzaldùa challenges Western dualisms and reimagines identity as a fluid and political space shaped by personal and collective experience. Her theories provide a powerful lens for understanding the intersections of race, gender, sexuality and spirituality. This paper also argues that her emphasis on inner transformation risks under-engaging material structures such as capitalism, state violence and environmental degradation. By situating Anzaldùa alongside key Chicana feminist scholars, the paper highlights both the …

Rethinking Coercion: Moving Beyond Moralized Accounts Of Coercion, Lorenz N. Soukup

Bates College Journal of Political Studies

Coercion is often portrayed as a vile act, which is inherently immoral. Typical examples include blackmail or receiving an offer at gunpoint. Most contemporary theories centre around this characteristic immorality of coercion. In the following paper I will argue that coercion need not involve an immoral act. I will look at two distinctly different theories of coercion. On the one hand, a moralised account proposed by Jennifer Lackey and on the other hand, an account refraining from moralising coercion brought forward by Scott Anderson. The aim of this paper is not to define coercion but to motivate a shift in …

Turning Language Into Insight: How Ai And Forensic Linguistic Analysis Are Transforming Investigations, Alan Saquella

Publications

Language is the fabric of human thought and communication, subtle, layered, and deeply revealing. When scrutinized, it can offer far more than simple testimony; it can hold the keys to motive, identity, intent, contradiction, and context. Traditionally, law enforcement has focused on fingerprints, DNA, surveillance, and physical evidence to solve crimes. Yet one of the most untapped wells of intelligence lies between the lines of written statements from suspects, witnesses, and victims. Now, with the advent of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and the sophisticated science of forensic linguistics, investigators have powerful new tools to mine language for insights that were …

Examining The Complementary Nature Of Working Memory And Dual Coding Theory, Elizabeth Hofschulte Collins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The working memory system is responsible for maintaining, manipulating, and transferring information into long-term memory, yet it operates under strict capacity limitations. Dual coding theory proposes that information can be encoded both verbally and visually, allowing learners to distribute cognitive load across complementary representational systems. Leveraging dual coding may therefore enhance recall, particularly for noun-based stimuli, though there is little to no research exploring this possibility. In the present study, 529 adults completed a forward digit span task and pre-test and post-test free recall tasks involving concrete, abstract, and mixed nouns. Participants were assigned to one of four instruction groups …

Beyond Additive Risk: Longitudinal Associations Between Discrimination And Positive Affect Development Among Adolescents With Single And Multiple Marginalized Identities, Vanni Jefferson V. Arcaina

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Adolescents with marginalized identities often face chronic exposure to discrimination, a social stressor linked to a range of negative mental health outcomes. While much of the existing literature focuses on internalizing symptoms, fewer studies have explored how discrimination may disrupt the development of positive affect (POA), which is a core dimension of emotional well-being linked to resilience, identity formation, and long-term health. The present study examined how overall, race/ethnicity-based, and sexual minority (SM)-based discrimination affects longitudinal patterns of POA among adolescents with single or multiple marginalized identities. Drawing on four waves of data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, …

Creando Conexiones Verdaderas?: Examining Latinx Families’ Lived Experiences With Family-School Partnerships, Jacqueline M. Eddy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Family-school partnerships are essential for a child’s academic and social-emotional well-being in schools. These partnerships thrive when families and school personnel cultivate trusting, communicative, and cooperative relationships. However, families from minoritized communities, such as those from Latinx backgrounds, may encounter challenges that prevent them from forming strong, meaningful relationships with teachers and administrators. This qualitative dissertation study was grounded in a social constructivist paradigm and a phenomenological tradition. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of Latinx families as they navigate relational aspects of family-school partnerships in their children’s schools. Using semi-structured interviews, four participants were …

Navigating Leadership In Bilingual Education: Exploring The Preparation, Experiences, And Adaptability Of Bilingual Education Leaders In The Southwest, Cynthia Romero

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study explored the experiences of school-level bilingual program leaders in the Southwestern United States, focusing on how their preparation, lived experiences, and local contexts shaped their leadership practices and decision-making. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of practice, the research examined how habitus and various forms of capital (cultural, social, and symbolic) influenced leaders’ approaches to developing and sustaining bilingual programs. Yosso’s theory of community cultural wealth (CCW) further expanded this lens by highlighting the aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistant forms of capital.

Using a qualitative multi-case study design, the research analyzed policy documents, leadership preparation coursework, and semi-structured …

From Spark To Agency: Metalinguistic Awareness, Investment, And Liberatory Autonomy In Introductory And Honors Intermediate Spanish And Intermediate Italian At Cod, Brian Kapustka

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This field experience capstone documents the application of sociocognitive, reflective, and equity-oriented pedagogy across multiple Spanish and Italian instructional contexts at the College of DuPage, a large and diverse community college. Grounded in applied linguistics frameworks including sociocognitive second language acquisition (Atkinson, 2011), learner motivation and identity through the L2 Motivational Self System (Dörnyei, 2009), the inseparability of cognition and emotion in second language learning (Swain, 2013), learner autonomy and postmethod pedagogy (Kumaravadivelu, 2002; 2003), learner investment (Darvin & Norton, 2015), willingness to communicate as a volitional process (MacIntyre, 2007), and transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000), the project examines language learning …

The Sexual Assault And Violence Experiences Questionnaire: Community-Developed Items For Gathering Sexual Violence Histories With Displaced Women, Meredith A. Blackwell

Psychology ETDs

Improving measurement of sexual violence has contributed to major policy changes in the United States. However, research on sexual violence largely overlooks those exposed to conflict and displacement: a population especially at risk. Assessment measures often ignore contextual features and use phrasing that is vulnerable to underreporting. This community-based participatory research project collaborated with cultural experts from Mexico/Central America and Afghanistan to develop a preliminary item list for a self-report measure of prior sexual violence. Analysis of focus group data from 30 women revealed a range of sexual violence experiences, and provided critical phrasing used to form an item list …

Investigating Teacher Perceptions Of Strategies That Led To Success Of Long-Term English Learners Passing English Assessment Exams, Whitney Hodges

Ed.D. Dissertations

Long term English learners are those who have been enrolled in United States public schools for at least five to seven years yet have not exited language services via passing scores on language assessments. Those students have less opportunity to take preferred elective courses in middle and high school, and less opportunity to take higher level course work. This impacted the students, teachers, and instructional leaders when it came to scheduling, fulfilling graduation requirements, and meeting schoolwide and statewide growth and achievement goals. Previous researchers provided strategies for helping newcomers learn a language, and move from basic interpersonal communication skills …

Beyond The Model Minority: South Asian New Yorkers Confront Poverty, Mizuki Uchiyama

Capstones

This capstone project examines poverty among South Asian immigrants in New York City, challenging the “model minority” myth that portrays Asian Americans as uniformly successful. Through a reported NY1 television news package and accompanying written narrative, the project highlights how language barriers, economic insecurity and limited access to public benefits shape daily life for many immigrant families in Queens.

Reporting from the South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) in Flushing, the story connects individual experiences in workforce and sewing programs to broader data showing that Asian New Yorkers experience poverty at rates comparable to Black and Latino residents, with …

¿Cómo Se Dice, "Liberty And Justice For All Cannot Exist Without Equal Access For All" En Español?, Turner Denise Reynolds

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Pace Project: Language, Identity, And Mental Health—Building Voice Through Conversation And Analysis, Brian Kapustka

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Informed by the theoretical foundations articulated in the accompanying PACE theory paper, this application project presents a complete instructional unit designed for upper-beginner to lower-intermediate Spanish learners in a community college context. Centered on the grammatical structure sentirse + adjective and the theme of mental health and well-being, the unit applies the PACE sequence to guide students from global interpretation of an authentic Spanish-language public health text (MedlinePlus Revista) to meaningful interpersonal and presentational communication. The project demonstrates backward design, with clear alignment among objectives, instruction, formative assessment, and a summative performance-based task. Special attention is given to accessibility, neurodiversity, …

Are We Leaving Donors Behind? An Evaluation Of Accessibility Of Higher Education Donor Webpages And Leadership Priorities, Lauren E. Baldwin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the web accessibility and readability of U.S.-based nonprofit higher education institutions (HEIs) across the Foundation home, donation, and contact pages of selected websites. Utilizing a combination of manual verification and computer-automated analysis techniques, this study analyzes (n=101) institutional websites. Quantitative analysis reveals these webpages frequently contain WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility error types that are likely to affect the perceivability, operability, and understandability of the user’s experience, especially for individuals with disabilities or limited English proficiency. Further, these tests reveal significant differences by sector across multiple WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility error types, indicating that …

How To Describe A Massacre? A Collaborative Metadata Justice Project, Bailey Hoffner, Eugene Albin, Jennifer Watson, Jay Shorten, Jacquelyn Slater Reese, Todd Fuller, Karie Antell

Collaborative Librarianship

Throughout the summer of 2020 and into the following fall, a cross-unit working group at the University of Oklahoma Libraries (OU Libraries) collaborated to compile and submit a proposal to change the Library of Congress Subject Heading (LCSH) Tulsa Race Riot, Tulsa, Okla., 1921 to Tulsa Race Massacre, Tulsa, Okla., 1921. The working group members situated this project in the context of the metadata justice movement, which seeks to correct problematic descriptions. They also see this proposal as part of the broader work undertaken over many decades by Tulsa activists and community leaders. This successful proposal required working group …

The Interplay Of Morphology, Syntax, And Semantics In Kuria Verb Extensions Within The Mara Region, Mary Charwi

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Verb extension morphological affixes that significantly alter verb meaning are a defining characteristic of Bantu languages. This paper investigates the morphosyntactic behaviour, semantic implications, and functional roles of extensions within Kuria, a Bantu language of Tanzania. The study adopts Hyman’s morphocentric approach, specifically the CARP template (Causative-Applicative-Reciprocal-Passive), as its foundational framework to test whether Kuria adheres to this pan-Bantu default ordering. The data were collected in Tarime District (2014-2015) using a mixed methods approach, comprising questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and video stimuli with 13 rural and urban speakers, and text analysis (the Kuria Bible). Through rigorous morphosyntactic parsing, the analysis reveals …

The Syntax And Semantics Of Reciprocal Constructions In Chibarwe: A Lexical Mapping Account, Tendai Chirimaunga

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Bantu languages have a robust structure, which is usually stated to be agglutinative, accommodates affixations of a wide range of morphemes both as prefixes (to the left of the root), as well suffixes (to the right of the root) before placing the terminal vowel. In their verbal morphology, the reciprocal is one of the many derivational affixes that have, however, not gained similar prominence as the study of the applicative and the causative construction. The thrust of this study is to investigate the syntax and semantics of reciprocal constructions in ChiBarwe, a marginalised cross-border language spoken in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. …

Interdependence In Practice: U.S. Travel Advisories And Turkey’S Economic Resilience, Matthew Michael Mccall

Honors Theses

This study examines the U.S. Travel Advisory and its economic impact on foreign nations, with a focus on Turkey between 2016 and 2024. Grounded in the theories of functional and asymmetrical interdependence, this approach employs a mixed-methods design, combining quantitative analysis of tourism revenue, GDP, and GNI with qualitative examination of geopolitical events that may raise or lower the Travel Advisory rating. Rather than assuming the advisory acts as a tool of coercive foreign policy, this study tests whether advisory changes meaningfully shape Turkey’s economic performance or whether they simply reflect moments of instability inside the country. The findings support …

Bicultural Identity, Work-Life Balance And Mental Health Outcomes In Swana Students, Julie M. Salama

Master's Theses

Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) college students navigate academic demands alongside immigration-salient stressors that may shape their mental health and academic performance. This study examined generational status (Gen 1 vs. Gen 2+), identity conflict, ethnic identity, and work–life balance (WLB) in overall GPA and major GPA, and mental health outcomes of depression (PHQ-9), and anxiety (GAD-7) among SWANA students (N = 35). Two one-way MANOVAs found no generational differences for academics (overall/major GPA) or mental health (PHQ-9/GAD-7). Identity conflict was unrelated to GPA or symptoms but was positively associated with ethnic identity, while WLB was negatively correlated with depression …

Advancing Equity In Adolescent Mental Health: A Literature Review And Telehealth Program Design For School-Based Access, Renatta Lindsey

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents in the United States (U.S.) are experiencing a mental health crisis, with disproportionately high prevalence rates among marginalized youth. Approximately 1 in 5 adolescents are diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or behavioral condition (Panchal, 2024; Sappenfield et al., 2024). Yet, an estimated 40% (1.8 million) of adolescents aged 12-17 who experience a major depressive episode did not receive treatment (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, 2024). This project examines existing barriers that hinder access to care for this population. While schools are the most common settings for adolescent mental health supports, more than half report difficulties with meeting …

The Social In The Spiritual: Non-Theistic Spirituality In 12-Step Addiction Recovery, Steph Jacobs

Theses and Dissertations

To investigate whether Western-raised Narcotics Anonymous (NA) members engage in non-theistic spirituality and non-humanist modes of sociality with non-human beings, I conducted six qualitative interviews and a small-scale survey within a Vancouver NA community. The majority of participants practice non-theist spirituality, and three interviewees relate to non-humans in ways not accounted for by Western humanism. Findings suggest that connection and sociality are intrinsically woven into recovery and well-being. This research opens conversations about non-theistic spirituality in NA recovery, non-human sociality and healing, processes of ontological negotiation, and the entanglement of spirituality, sociality, and well-being. Through daily practices of exploration and …

More Than Just A Criminal: Talking Back As A Critical Autoethnographic Journey, Anakin Rivera Ramirez

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article explores the experiences of doctoral students with criminal records navigating higher education, using a critical theoretical framework to highlight the unique challenges and triumphs I faced. Drawing upon decoloniality and critical race theory perspectives and activism, I define my critical scholarship as challenging the dominant oppression through thoughts and actions. Through autoethnographic and self-reflective narratives, I reflect on how my lived experiences as a Latino who has experienced criminalization. I have shaped my academic pursuits and critical consciousness. The autoethnography discusses systemic barriers such as stigma, discrimination, and institutional biases, showing how these obstacles have informed the author’s …

A World Between Worlds: The Hidden Disconnect Of Chinese Autistic Individuals, Joy Lu

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This paper examines the complex challenges faced by Chinese autistic individuals navigating both Western autism communities and broader Chinese cultural contexts. Drawing on personal experience, community observation, and cultural analysis, it explores how language barriers, cultural stigma, and differing values create a unique form of disconnection for the Chinese autistic community. This paper argues that current neurodiversity discourse is dominated by Western frameworks that often fail to account for this disconnect, resulting in the exclusion of entire groups. By centring Chinese perspectives, it calls for a more culturally responsive approach to autism advocacy: one that bridges linguistic, cultural, and historical …

Quien Soy Sin Mi Idioma Nativo?: The Loss Of The Spanish Language And Its Effects On Identity, Wilzaid L. Santiago-Maldonado

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

Language is a mechanism of cultural preservation. The history of language has two parts: 1. the technical aspects and 2. how it is diffused and/or becomes extinct. According to the U.S. Census Data, the Hispanic population has grown immensely over the past several decades, particularly from 1980-2020. Even so, there has been significant loss of the Spanish language. The researcher examined this phenomenon in two phases. First, 14 peer-reviewed articles published between 2008-2024 were assessed to determine emerging themes. Results showed that articles cited “the lack of knowledge/use” of Spanish and the “language/cultural dominance.” Second, the researcher conducted four focus …

Educator Experiences With Implementing Every Student Succeeds Act Equity Mandates For Students With Autism, Jameelah S. Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educating students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in under resourced schools remains a persistent equity concern in the United States. This study addressed a gap in the existing research, as prior studies have examined special education policy and school-level implementation challenges, but few have explored the experiences of general education teachers implementing inclusion in low-socioeconomic public schools. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the barriers general education teachers encounter in providing equitable education and their recommendations for improving inclusion. The study was guided by Ingram and Schneider’s (1993) social construction theory, which explains how marginalized groups …

Disclosures, Disclaimers, And Disinformation Advertising, Areeb Asif

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

Every regular internet user in the United States has been exposed to fake news at some point. Most of them, if not all, would agree that this problem needs a solution. Nevertheless, even as fake news has taken on unforeseen prominence in recent years, very little concrete action has been taken to curb its impact on American society. Some scholars have chalked this up to the Supreme Court’s expansive conception of the First Amendment, which makes it incredibly challenging to regulate political speech. Others posit that the problem is Section 230, which allows platforms to profit from fake news without …

The Consequences Of Fear: How Media Literacy Teachers Adapt To Teaching In An Autocratic Regime, Sait Tuzel

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

While media literacy education experienced significant growth in Turkey during the early part of the decade, since the attempted coup on July 15, 2016, Turkish educators have struggled with uncertainty and social mistrust generated by the disappearance of independent journalism and the arrests of many thousands of educators, judges, and researchers. This longitudinal study of media literacy teachers in Turkey examines the professional challenges that media literacy teachers experienced between 2015 and 2020 as they adapted to increased fear and the risks associated with teaching about media. Unable to use media materials beyond the state-sanctioned textbook, teachers now evaluate the …