Digital Commons Network^™

A Content Analysis Of Emotional Valence And Engagement In Youtube Comments, Lydia Britton '27

Student Research

This study investigated the relationship between YouTube comment participation and emotional valence. We hypothesized that highly negative-valenced comments would generate higher engagement (likes and replies), based on prior research showing that emotionally intense content drives interaction. Fifty comments from ten popular videos across five categories (shopping, music, gaming, news, and sports) were analyzed using linguistic indicators (language and emojis) and intensifiers (capitalization, exclamation points, profanity). Each comment was assigned a dominant valence and a Likert scale rating. Engagement was measured by likes per view and replies per view. Results showed a negative correlation between emotional valence and replies. Despite trending …

Motivating Lung Cancer Screening Uptake: An Experimental Test Of Didactic Versus Narrative Messages For Lung Cancer Screening Among Individuals Who Currently Smoke Or Formerly Smoked, Honor M. Woodward

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related death in the United States and worldwide. Lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been associated with a 20% reduction in lung cancer-related mortality. Despite the obvious benefits of lung cancer screening with LDCT, screening is heavily underutilized compared to other cancer screening tests. Thus, it is critically important to develop strategies that help motivate screening uptake among eligible individuals. This study explored the effectiveness of narrative messages for motivating lung cancer screening uptake among individuals eligible for lung cancer screening who currently smoke or formerly smoked. Drawing from …

Change Of Accessibility In The Izu Islands Before And After Tourism Development In The Pre-World War Ⅱ Period, Kantaro Takahashi

International Journal of Islands Research

This study compares accessibility on the Izu Islands, an inhabited archipelago. part of Tokyo Prefecture, from around the 1910s to the 1930s, during the early years of tourism development. Most islands in the archipelago started attracting tourists during the economically prosperous 1960s and 1970s; uniquely, Izu Oshima, the largest island, had been a tourist destination since before World War II. Tourism research on this region and period has predominantly employed a descriptive approach; quantitative studies have been rare owing to the dearth of data. Addressing this gap, this study conducts a network analysis of data acquired from the books of …

Soundtrack Of Struggle: Racial Injustice, Resistance, And Redemption In To Pimp A Butterfly, Carson Yee

Culture, Society, and Praxis

This paper explores and analyzes the extent to which Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album, To Pimp a Butterfly, is a profound examination of the contemporary socio-political scene within the United States of America. In the introduction, the topic of protest art is discussed, highlighting the album’s role in addressing America’s ongoing struggle with racial justice. A context surrounding Kendrick Lamar and the formation of the To Pimp a Butterfly album follows, which then sets the stage for a thorough analysis of the various lyrical, musical, and contextual elements that suggest this album is a deeper evaluation of socio-political issues in America. …

Framing And Diffusion Of The 4b Movement: Why We Are Seeing A Resurgence, Kendall M. Goodwin

Culture, Society, and Praxis

In this study I examine how framing and diffusion has played a role in the resurgence of the 4B Movement over social media. First, I reviewed literature on sociological concepts and theories such as social movement framing and diffusion as well as Almeida’s social movement model. From there, I made a coding chart where I utilized the literature review to know what to code for. Then, I began collecting data. From November 2024 to January 2025, I collected and coded 656 TikTok videos. I then analyzed each of these videos, finding that social movement framing coupled with specific environmental factors …

Lindenwood Digest, May 6, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

Event & Date: The 2026 Lindenwood Showcase was held on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. 

Geographic Grounding: The event occurred at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. 

Key Honorees/Awards: Student winners included Reghan Gacki and Luisa Gonzalez for Original Research Project, Aidan Brynes for Creative Project, Lauren Roberts, Brendan Finnery, and Judah Davis for Exploratory Project, Chloe Ceballos for Proposal Project, and Allison Schrumf and Eleri Tye for Civic Engagement Project; Kimberly Sanchez received the Alpha Chi People's Choice Award; Oral presentation winners included Ava Bilton, Stephanie Greenhalgh, Kadence Berry, Taylor Bertubin, and Piper Colantone. 

Institutional Context: The showcase highlights diverse …

Exploring Child Trafficking Survivors' Experiences: Support, Revictimization, And Justice Institutions, Max Lubin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Living Archaeology: A Comparative Perspective On How Archaeologists Can Study And Document The Present, Alia S. Moran

Honors Capstones

Archaeology has long remained a social science that has tended to exclude sustained consideration of contemporary societies in the analysis of material culture. In recent decades, approaches such as ethnoarchaeology and the archaeology of the contemporary have expanded the field to include the study of present-day societies through material culture. Inspired by my involvement in the Thais in Illinois Project, which focused on documenting the Thai American immigrant experience in the greater Chicago area to produce an oral history collection, alongside other goals, this thesis intends to further explore how archaeological practice can be used to understand everyday issues in …

The Effects Of Misinformation And Source Credibility On False Recall In College Students, Ashlee Smolenski

Honors Capstones

Eyewitness testimony if often treated as strong evidence in legal systems, yet psychological research consistently shows that memory is not a perfect recording of events. Instead, memory is reconstructive and vulnerable to distortion. The present study examined whether exposure to misleading post-event information and differences in perceived source credibility would influence false recall in college students. Using a 2 x 2 factorial design, participants watched a brief video of a car accident and later received either misleading or neutral questions presented by a high credibility (police officer) or low credibility (elderly man) source. It was predicted that misinformation would decrease …

Do International Alumni Give Differently? A Study On The Alumni Philanthropic Perspective Of Trust And Key Relational Factors Affecting Attitude Towards Giving, John Held

Dissertations

Philanthropy plays a key role in the funding of institutions of higher education. Previous research has focused on domestic populations, exploring the antecedents and elements of philanthropy in higher education. The literature has yet to examine differences in these elements between domestic and international, or distance extremes, amongst alumni populations. This study investigates the perceptions and motivating factors influencing alumni who experience significant geographic separation from their Higher Education Institution (HEI) and their philanthropic support for their alma mater. The conceptual model includes factors at the organization-to-organization, person-to-organization, and person-to-person levels and their moderating effects on the relationship between trust …

Trauma, Memory, And Decision-Making: How Covid-19 Shaped Autobiographical Memories And Risky Decision-Making In Young Adults, Rachel Seo

Student Theses

Autobiographical memory is a critical component of the memory process that guides future behaviors by relying on past personal experiences connected to major public events. This decision-making process is heavily influenced by trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as they may guide individuals to riskier behaviors. The COVID-19 pandemic represents a global traumatic stressor that contributed to shifts in behavioral outcomes post-pandemic. Despite research showing associations between memory accessibility, traumatic symptoms, and decision-making, there is limited research on health-related behaviors and post-pandemic behavioral outcomes in individuals with high trauma exposure specifically from the pandemic. The present study investigates …

How The U.S. Virgin Islands Government Responded To The Covid-19 Crisis: A Leadership Perspective, Erica Dover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Transforming Experience Into Practice: A Portfolio Of Growth, Identity, And Leadership, Ana I. Loli

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This professional portfolio documents the integration of my academic learning, practicum experience, and personal transformation throughout the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana. Drawing from trauma‑informed, anti-oppressive, and culturally responsive frameworks, I demonstrate competency across micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice, with particular emphasis on ethical decision-making, ADEI engagement, community assessment, policy analysis, research-informed practice, and collaborative leadership. Through narrative reflections and applied artifacts—including case analyses, simulated clinical sessions, community-based research, organizational evaluation, and leadership implementation—I illustrate how meaning, context, power, history, and possibility shape my approach to social work. This portfolio highlights my development …

Political Villains: America’S Perception Of Corrupt Politicians, Robin Nakamura

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Online and social media sources have made political news more accessible and digestible than ever before. While beneficial, it raises questions regarding the truth and quality of political news being spread and the effects it may be having on the public. In this paper, I seek to expand on existing research regarding political corruption and online media sources. Previous research has highlighted the rise of disinformation in online news sources, noting that social media reporting does not necessarily hold government officials accountable. Using the Chapman University Survey of American Fears Wave 10 (2024), the relationship between fears of political corruption …

Parasocial Relationships In Identity & Mental Health, Josephine Railston

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Parasocial relationships are one-sided emotional connections people form with media personalities such as influencers, streamers, and celebrities. Although these relationships are inherently unreciprocated, prior research has shown that they can provide meaningful feelings of companionship. While parasocial relationships are often viewed negatively, the current study examined the association between parasocial relationship strength and multiple dimensions of psychological well-being, including loneliness, perceived stress, self-esteem, and behavior mimicry. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, media personalities were conceptualized as role models whose behaviors and attitudes are observed, internalized, and potentially imitated by audiences. Participants completed an online survey assessing the strength of …

Racial Differences In Voter Turnout: Evidence From The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, Harrison G. Kundahl, Elena M. Warner

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

How does race impact voter turnout in the 2020 U.S. presidential election? Existing research shows that political participation depends on access to resources and civic skills, while institutional barriers such as voter identification laws can disproportionately affect racial minorities. However, less attention has been given to whether these disparities persist at the individual level when accounting for other relevant factors. We argue that racial minority groups, particularly Hispanic and non-Hispanic “other” respondents, are less likely to vote than White (non-Hispanic) respondents in the 2020 presidential election. To test this argument, we use individual-level data from the ANES 2020–2022 Social Media …

State-Religion Entanglements And Public Acceptance Of Censorship: Appeals To Social Harmony In Asian Hybrid Regimes, Jackson Pace Campbell

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In Asian hybrid regimes, where religious and ethnic diversity intersects with political authority, governments often justify censorship through appeals to social harmony. This paper examines how state-religion entanglements shape public tolerance for such restrictions on speech.  Drawing on theories of authoritarian resilience and Durkheimian collectivism, this study argues that higher state-religion entanglements embed religious legitimacy in institutions, legitimize suppression of dissent under the precept of collective harmony, and prioritize collectivist norms over individual rights, thus increasing public acceptance of censorship. Employing a sequential mixed-methods design, the study analyzes Asian Barometer Survey Wave 6 data from Indonesia, Vietnam, Mongolia, and South …

Trust In Mainstream Elites And Right-Wing Voting Among Young Voters: A Comparative Study Of Germany And The United States Since 2016, Samantha Parrish

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This study examines how trust in mainstream elites influences the likelihood that young voters (ages 18-25) support right-wing parties in Germany and the United States. While existing research links declining trust in political elites to the rise of populist and right-wing support, less attention has been given to the relationship among young voters. This project addresses that gap by analyzing whether discrust in elite independently drives right-wing voting or whether it interacts with other potential attitudes. I argue that lower trust in mainstream elites increases the likelihood that younger voters will support right-wing parties, but this relationship is also shaped …

Information Exposure And Vote Choice: The Role Of Social Media In The 2020 U.S. Election, Brooke Beardsley

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

How does social media use affect vote choice during the 2020 election in the United States? Research shows that social media can shape political attitudes and behaviors by increasing exposure to political information and like-minded communities. However, much of the recent literature focuses on specific platforms or broader political participation, leaving open the question of how much social media use influences party vote choice. I argue that individuals who use social media platforms such as Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram are more likely to support Democratic candidates than individuals who do not use these platforms. To test this argument, I used …

Ai Is Taking Over!: A New Generation Of Unemployment Fears, Amaya V. Hepburn

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The growing panic surrounding AI taking over the workforce is strong in a distinct group of demographics, in contrast to the fear of computers taking over the workforce that was seen in previous generations. This suggests that AI developments have sparked a wave of fear that is unlike the fear of tech developments in the past. I have discovered that this fear is prevalent across several demographics: age, employment, and income. By cross-analyzing through the 2017 and 2025 fear surveys, I discovered that fear of AI is more prevalent in younger generations and is more threatening to students entering the …

Evaluating Team Formation Strategies With Algorithms, Ethan E. Lopez, Andy Vo

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Effective teamwork is essential for collaborative learning, yet forming compatible student groups remains a persistent challenge. This study explores how algorithmic team-building methods influence students’ social and academic compatibility overtime. To support this investigation, we designed a visual survey system called “The Disco Ball." Evaluating work ethics, lifestyles, behaviors, and communication styles, students were initially assigned to project teams using one of three conditions: (1) random assignment (control), (2) a “most matches” condition maximizing similarity between students, and (3) a “diverse communication styles” condition designed to balance differing interaction preferences. After an initial collaboration period, students were given the opportunity …

Fear Of The Other: Explaining Immigration Anxiety In The United States, Ramon Arguelles

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Illegal immigration has become one of the most politically divisive issues in the United States, with many Americans fearing its social, political, and economic effects. This paper examines possible causes of the fear of illegal immigration, specifically focusing on media consumption, employment status, and education level. Using Wave 11 of the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults, this paper analyzes whether these variables can serve as indicators of fear of illegal immigration. Drawing on media framing theory, labor-market competition theory, and theories of education and cognitive sophistication, three hypotheses were tested using Pearson correlation …

Alone And Radicalized: The Hidden Link Between Isolationism And Political Violence, Zaina Siddiqui

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

As some socially isolated individuals come to view political violence as legitimate, what exactly draws the line towards political extremism? My findings examine the relationship between loneliness, social marginalization, and support for political violence through psychological theories on radicalization. Using Chapman University’s American Fear Survey Wave 11, I examined the correlation between isolationism and a sense of belonging, with the latter leading to support for political violence and extremism. The project contributes to research on political extremism by focusing on loneliness as a loss of belonging and personal significance rather than on ideology or pathology alone. In my research, I …

Beyond Clicktivism: Analyzing The Most Effective Forms Of Civic Engagement, Charlotte Grace Iribarren

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Civic engagement is not only characterized by voting, it can take the form of protesting for a political cause or donating to campaigns. Today, a highly common form of political involvement is posting online or signing online petitions, also referred to as “clicktivism.” In this paper, I intend to examine the extent to which voting in general presidential elections correlates with individual engagement in protests, donations to campaigns, or engages in “clicktivism”. Using the American National Election Survey which measures voting behaviors, political participation and public opinion, I find that the most consistent voters are clicktivists and campaign donors. Conversely, …

Behind The Self-Report: Cognitive Symptoms And Moderating Variables During Covid-19 Quarantine, Ashley H. Jo

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

A lesser-known impact of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic is the impairment of cognitive functioning among seemingly unsusceptible, healthy, and young populations. Research suggests that the circumstances of extreme social isolation, incited by the pandemic, have had significantly negative effects across various social, cognitive, and psychological dimensions, with a specific focus on adolescents who are at a unique and more extreme risk than adults and children. By applying the cognitive load theory (CLT) to the COVID-19 quarantine landscape, this study measured the effects of the COVID-19 quarantine on cognitive functioning among those who were adolescents and young adults at the time …

Breaking Down A.B.C.D. (American Born Confused Desi): Dual Identity Struggles & Mental Health Outcomes In South Asian American Youth, Sanchi Kohli, Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

South Asian American youth are an understudied population in mental health-related research. When looking at data, we saw that in Asian American youth, suicide is the leading cause of death. The current study examined South Asian youth mental health and the confounding factors that lead to suicidality. Including parental pressures, dual identity struggles, and internalized racism. This was done specifically under the guidance of Benet-Martínez & Haritatos’ (2005) theory of Bicultural identity integration. The study described how individuals with compatible or opposing cultural identities perceived their dual identities. In the case of this study, we identified whether South Asian American …

Blue, Red, And Bordered, Estefania Morales Vilchis

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The paper will explore the various social and individual variables that will impact how people perceive immigration as either beneficial to society or a societal threat. Some of the primary variables that will be examined in detail are one’s political affiliation, age, and geographical location; this will address the profound "why" behind our current beliefs on newcomers. The study will particularly address the "Contact Hypothesis" versus "Group Threat Theory" through the lens of how one's personal experiences with immigrants, or lack of, will shape public opinion. The study will focus on the rising psychological issue of "demographic anxiety", specifically, fears …

Propasafe-Hybrid: A Text-Based Hybrid Propaganda Detection Tool, Thomas Kimmeth, Avijit Roy, Vivek Sharma

Publications and Research

Propagandistic content increasingly circulates through online news and social media, where readers often encounter it with limited scrutiny, highlighting the need for reliable and fine-grained detection. This paper introduces Propasafe-Hybrid, a sentence-level system that integrates a fine-tuned transformer classifier with LLM-based technique classification to identify, label, and explain specific propaganda strategies. The pipeline generates actionable outputs, including highlighted sentences, technique assignments, and concise rationales, so users can immediately understand why a sentence was flagged and how each label was determined. To control inference cost, Propasafe-Hybrid employs a cost-aware pre-filtering stage that forwards only high-likelihood sentences to LLMs, reducing token usage …

Speaking Of Language: The Relationship Between Language As Capital And Minority Language Education, Alex J. Zelaya

Politics Honors Papers

The future of minority languages not only depends on intergenerational transmission but also on support for immersive instruction in minority languages within the educational system. This paper examines the factors that influence support for minority language education, arguing that language policy is shaped by societal attitudes, which in turn reflect dynamics of power. The paper draws upon Pierre Bourdieu’s conceptualization of different types of capital, including his theory on the relationship between economic, social, cultural and symbolic capital. Within this framework, language functions as a form of capital, reflecting and reinforcing social and economic stratification by conveying status or stigma. …

Taking Off The Mask: Development Of A Role Method For Late-Diagnosed Neurodivergent Women, Maria Moutzalias

Expressive Therapies Theses

Neurodivergent women are frequently underdiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or late diagnosed due to gender differences and the prevalence of masking. Masking is the unintentional or intentional suppression of neurodiverse traits to present more neurotypical. Consequences of long-term masking can include increased risk of anxiety, depression, and burnout. This study explores the potential of drama therapy as a modality to support unmasking and increasing self-esteem in neurodivergent adult women. Drawing on existing literature on neurodiversity, masking, and drama therapy, a two staged role-based intervention was developed and implemented within a six weeklong psychotherapy group for five late diagnosed neurodivergent women. All participants were …