Digital Commons Network^™

Traditional Masculine Ideology And Transphobia: An Examination Of A Predictive Relationship, Nikola Jensen

Psychology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

This paper examines the role of traditional masculine ideology in the continued prevalence of transphobia.  Drawing on established research, it follows the development of traditional masculinity in critical social and emotional aspects of men’s lives and explores the predictive relationship between endorsement of traditional masculinity and transphobic attitudes.  It emphasizes solution-based psychological research in addressing and challenging this belief system, particularly gender-transformative programs for boys and young men, where supportive role models and healthy representations of masculinity are presented. Overall, it investigates both the consequences of traditional masculinity, including harmful expectations for men themselves and transphobia, as well as mitigation …

Does Age And Reading Activity Predict Children’S Engagement In Grandparent–Grandchild Zoom Sessions?, Breanne E. Dunn

Honors Thesis

As the digital world continues to advance, interactions that once took place in person are increasingly occurring online. Although a substantial body of research has documented the benefits of shared reading for children under six, far less is known about how these experiences and reading development unfolds in digital contexts. This study examines how structured book reading during video chat supports joint visual attention (JVA; sharing attention with another person on an object) between children (18 months to 6 years old) and their remote grandparents. The proportion of successful grandparent-initiated JVA bids throughout three different activity conditions, baseline (control), matching …

Beyond The Individual: Exploring Structural Explanations Of Homelessness Through Thematic Analysis Of Extant Research, Madison R. Mcclain

Senior Theses

This thesis examines how homelessness is defined, explained, and addressed within contemporary U.S. research using Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Intersectionality as guiding frameworks. Through a qualitative, deductive thematic analysis of 16 peer-reviewed articles, this study identifies six key themes related to structural causation, policy governance, measurement practices, racial inequality, dominant narratives, and intersecting systems of disadvantage. Findings reveal that while structural explanations of homelessness are widely acknowledged, they are inconsistently defined and often insufficiently theorized. Institutional systems primarily function to manage rather than resolve homelessness, while measurement practices and definitions actively shape who is recognized and prioritized. Additionally, structural …

Silent Cries: Analyzing The Psychological Profiles Of High School Shooters, Kayla Martinez

Posters - 2026

• School shootings have become a recurring event for the past couple of decades in the United States
  • high school has the most exposure to these shootings
• Shootings can cause serious trauma and various mental health issues in the students and staff who survived (as well as communities)
• Protocols put in place seem to only be reactive rather than proactively identifying and preventing the occurrence
• Most people overlook the previous behaviors of the shooters

Social Media Microtrends And The Economic Realities Of Young Consumers, Camila Berumen

Posters - 2026

This study expects to reveal how social media microtrends act as indicators of the economic realities' young consumers experience, including financial pressure, shifting spending habits, and changing values around consumption. By analyzing how these realities are expressed through digital trends, the research will provide a deeper understanding of how economic conditions are communicated in everyday online behavior. This research addresses the issue that traditional economic measures often overlook lived experience, especially among younger generations. By focusing on microtrends, the study offers a more nuanced and accessible way to understand how economic realities are felt and expressed, rather than just measured. …

Bioengineering The Future Of The Human Species: H+’S Ideological Iterations Of Trans-/Posthumanity As Exemplified By Futurist Literary Texts = (Bio)Technological Solutions For (And/Or) Reification Of Systemic Inequities?, Marjorie E. Bomhower

English Theses & Dissertations

While humanity has, throughout our species’ history, endeavored to dream and create astonishing, and ever-evolving, (bio)technologies with the utopian ideals of bettering our day-to day lives and achieving greater longevity, our endeavors have (thus far) not only produced remarkable, beneficial advances in longevity and quality of life, but have also yielded devastating and dire outcomes; often at the cost and victimization of marginalized communities. This dissertation focuses on select (bio)technologies – particularly, those promoted by H+ (the most current and popular technoutopianist non-profit, “educational,” organization) – with an investigation of current and nascent (bio)technological evolutions, futurist literary texts, and critical/digital …

Cotheorizing Healing With Undergraduate Queer And Trans Latina Survivors Of Power-Based Violence, Kimberly Correa

Dissertations

Current research on healing from power-based violence highlights the importance of integrating victim-survivors’ personal culture and identities into healing approaches, yet few studies actually focus on the culturally distinct healing processes of victim-survivors (O’Brien & Macy, 2016; Sinko et al., 2023). Grounded in Jotería theory (Alvarez, 2023) and Latina/Chicana feminist frameworks (Garcia, 1989), this qualitative study employs queer pláticas as both a methodology and method to center culturally rooted dialogue, reciprocity, and cariño as a political praxis. This study explores how six queer and trans Latina undergraduate victim-survivors conceptualize healing from power-based violence and how their identities, cultural values, and …

"Nobody Forced My Mom To Stay Home": College Men’S Perspectives On Parental Leave, Marisa Conners

Student Publications

From "The Second Shift" to Claudia Goldin’s Nobel Prize-winning research on women in the labor market, the inequities affecting women in the labor market have been widely documented. However, progress on this issue has been largely one-sided on behalf of women, perpetuating gender inequality. The goal of my research is to understand how social subgroup values influence male-identifying Gettysburg College students’ predictions on how they will engage with parental leave. This project gathered information on ways to increase male uptake of parental leave, which, if implemented, will help improve gender equity in the labor market.

How are male-identifying Gettysburg College …

Social Support And Mental Wellbeing Among Veterinary Clinic Employees, Madison Koons

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Mental wellbeing is a significant concern for veterinary professionals and the subject of much discussion in the veterinary and academic fields. To determine whether social support is an effective protective factor for the mental wellbeing of veterinary professionals, I administered a survey to 879 veterinary clinics in Ohio, with ninety-two responses received for final analysis. The scales assessed mental wellbeing, organizational support, and nonorganizational support. I found organizational support, friends support, and family support to be positively correlated with mental wellbeing. Significant other support was not correlated with mental wellbeing. A linear regression evaluating social support as predictors of mental …

Evaluating The Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health On Outcomes Of Type Ii Diabetes In South Carolina, Alexander G. Downs

Senior Theses

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) represents a significant public health burden in South Carolina, where 13.5% of adults are affected, surpassing the national rate of 12%. This integrative literature review examines the social determinants of health most strongly associated with T2DM morbidity and mortality in South Carolina, including race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, rural or urban residence, educational attainment, healthcare access, and food insecurity. Evidence drawn from peer-reviewed studies, epidemiological reports, and state health data reveals that African American, rural, and low-income populations bear a disproportionate share of the diabetes burden in the state. These disparities arise through multilevel mechanisms …

Performing Politics: Contextual Shifts In Identity Expression Amongst Ingroup And Neutral Settings, Elsa Geriane Johnson

Senior Theses

Increased political divisiveness and the rise of social media have contributed to a widening gap between individuals situated on the political left and right. However, prior research has not determined whether individuals express their political identities similarly when among in-group members versus in more neutral spaces.

Individuals were observed in politically charged settings and in politically neutral settings to determine how the expression of political identities differs when among in-group members versus when discussing politics in classrooms. Data was analyzed using a systemic thematic process through the lens of social identity theory. Findings supported the hypothesis that political identities are …

Effects Of Face-To-Face Communication On Network Recall, Gage Austin Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

Research in the field of social cognition found that humans use schema for the storage and processing of network information. Schema use differs by gender and power, in theory because individuals differ in the schemas that apply to the network structures they are involved with. I analyzed a survey dataset collected during the COVID-19 pandemic that asked respondents about how often they interacted with people, and organizations, as well as what forms of communication they used. In addition, a network recall survey experiment was conducted to measure their network recall accuracy. If schema are learned cognitive rules the brain uses …

Maternal Reading Skills And Child Mortality In Nigeria, Kayode Ibraheem

Theses and Dissertations

Although, child mortality in Nigeria has declined significantly over the past three decades, the country still has one of the highest rates in the world. The inverse relationship between maternal education and child survival is well established, but the mechanisms by which education impacts mortality remain underexplored. This study assessed the mediating effect of maternal literacy in the relationship between child mortality and maternal education, extending prior work that focused primarily on mothers with low education levels. Using the data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, I analyzed 24,865 mothers who had at most secondary education as well …

Listening To Survivors: A Community Conversation, Jonathan Jackson

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Panelists: Sex Trafficking Of Black Women And Girls, Stephany Powell

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Computational Analysis Of Immigration Discourse And Political Polarization: Evidence From U.S. Political Podcasts During The 2024 Presidential Election, Reishiro Kawakami , ‘26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

This study examines how immigration is discussed across the U.S. political podcast ecosystem during the 2024 presidential election cycle, with a focus on differences across the political spectrum. While prior research on immigration attitudes has relied heavily on survey data, this study shifts attention to naturally occurring political communication by analyzing large-scale podcast transcripts. Drawing on a novel dataset of over 48,500 episodes (approximately 40,000 hours of audio) from the top 100 political podcasts ranked on Election Day, this paper combines keyword search, topic modeling, and sentiment analysis to investigate both the thematic structure and emotional tone of immigration discourse. …

Rhetorical Violence: The Rhetorics Of Women's Counter Political Violence, Kylie Rowland

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Protest is omnipresent, and yet not much is known about the efficacy and impacts of its different rhetorical strategies—particularly so for marginalized populations, whose available means of protest are already limited by both material realities and assumptions that govern who and what can make waves. This bind is further exacerbated by gendered and racialized civility politics that determine which bodies can be disruptive and which already are considered “violent.” To address this gap, I turn toward the under-researched rhetorical potentials of marginalized people’s—specifically women and queer folks’—use of symbolic protest “violence,” which works to strategically make evident the larger ongoing …

2nd Place Contest Entry: "Shaping The Ape: Storytelling, Cultural Reflection, And Boundary Negotiation In Human-Ape Zoo Encounters", Abigail Bond Halling

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This is Abigail Bond Halling's submission for the 2026 Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize, which won second place. It contains their essay on using library resources, and a summary of their research project on human-primate interactions and projections at the Western zoo site, and their bibliography.

Abigail is a fourth-year student at Chapman University, majoring in Sociology and Anthropology. Their faculty mentors are Dr. Steven Pfaff and Dr. Kyle Harp-Rushing.

1st Place Research Paper: "Gaps In The Academy: Evaluating Pre-Service Criminal Justice Training For Interactions With Vulnerable Populations", Rowan Eiselman

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This research investigates pre-service training for law enforcement officers (LEOs), specifically examining how current educational practices prepare them to interact with vulnerable populations, including victims, suspects, and individuals in crisis. The quality of this training is critical, as it directly shapes officer behavior, decision-making, and ethical conduct in the field (Mier, 2018). Amid heightened public scrutiny of police practices and calls for reform, the effectiveness of law enforcement education has become a central concern.

The significance of this topic is underscored by extensive research on training methodologies such as procedural justice and de-escalation, which aim to improve police-community relations and …

Determining Factors Leading To Sobriety In Native American Graduates Of A Joint-Jurisdictional Court Program, Ryan Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The issue of driving under the influence (DUI) is a continuous problem in rural communities, especial those in Indian Country. Alcohol use and abuse has long been a health concern for these communities contributing to higher mortality rates and increased incarceration rates for American Indian / Alaskan Native (AIAN) populations. Wellness courts, using the problem-solving court model, have been successful in helping DUI offenders achieve sobriety and wellness. While the model has been successful, there remains a lack of qualitative research into why participants find success in these programs; especially marginalized populations such as AIAN. This phenomenological qualitative study was …

Book Review Of Hidden Suicides And Fatal Overdoses: A Forward Path Author: Ian Rockett. Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore. 2026. 271 Pages., Roger Clark

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

Making Space To Learn: Prison-Less Places, Nicole Patrie

Journal of Prison Education Research

Diversifying modalities or modes of program delivery inside prisons is necessary and important to increase access to programs; however, this also demands that learning is intended to occur in most places of a prison. In this paper I present the concept prison-less places, relational, temporary places where the prison is less noticeable and where learning becomes possible. Exploring three dimensions of learning, I argue that the existence of prison-less places brings balance to these dimensions and is crucial for learning to occur inside prisons. As the boundaries between program and prison space become more fluid and permeable with modalities …

Negotiating Identity: Local Religion Adherents And Majority Group Resistance In Indonesia, Tri Astutik Haryati, Amat Zuhri, Annisa Mutohharoh

The Qualitative Report

The existence of local religion adherents amidst a majority population is marked by structural and cultural rejection. This condition highlights fundamental issues surrounding freedom of religion and belief in Indonesia. This study aims to explore the experiences of local religion adherents in confronting structural and cultural resistance from an emic perspective, situating local religions within the broader academic discourse on the interaction between local wisdom and global religions. The participants consist of 11 adherents of local religions affiliated with Majelis Luhur Kepercayaan Indonesia (MLKI), an organization that supports followers of local religions and indigenous beliefs throughout Indonesia. Using a qualitative …

Contributing Factors To The Rise In Juvenile Gun-Related Homicides: Investigating Criminal Behavior In Southern Georgia, Tracey Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gun-related juvenile homicides continue to be a critical public health and social issue, disproportionally affecting African American males aged 17. Prior research identified poverty, neighborhood violence, individual and familial risks, gang affiliation, and inadequate education as contributors to the increase in juvenile gun-related homicides. In this study, the relationship between gun-related juvenile homicides and poverty, violent crimes, and gang affiliation were examined from 2019 to 2023 in 66 counties within South Georgia. Guided by sociological positivism, a quantitative non-experimental design was used using secondary data sources that included juvenile homicide totals, demographic characteristics, poverty levels, violent crime rates, and gang …

Gender Norms, Socio-Organizational Ergonomics, And Female Labor Force Participation In South Asia, Huma Maqsood, Nor Fatimah Che Sulaiman, Suriyani Muhamad, Nor Aizal Akmal Binti Rohaizad, Sana Mukhtar

The Qualitative Report

Socio-organizational ergonomics encompasses workplace social and cultural factors that influence inclusion, performance, and well-being. Gender-based socio-organizational ergonomics has both microeconomic and macroeconomic implications. In this context, underutilization of women’s economic potential, evidenced by low female labor force participation, emerges as a critical factor that compromises sustainable growth in developing countries. To study the phenomenon, we examined the impact of gender norms on socio-organizational ergonomics and female labor force participation in South Asia. Qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 20 female participants are thematically analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s TA framework. Our findings highlight that socio-organizational ergonomics in South Asia is …

From Arrival To Opportunity: A Policy Analysis For Supporting Newly Arrived English Learners In California, Valeria Gabrielli, Stephanie Mendoza Hernandez

School of Public Policy Capstones

Newly arrived immigrant students, commonly referred to as “newcomers,” represent a notable portion of the English Learner (EL) population in California’s K–12 public schools. As of Fall 2023, the California Department of Education reported that newcomers comprised 3.27% of total student enrollment. Although enrollment is projected to decline in the near term, the potential for future increases highlights the need for sustainable, evidence-based support systems. This study examines how California K–12 public schools with large EL populations provide academic and trauma-informed support services to newcomer students, with a particular focus on early intervention in grades K–5. Using the Bardach policy …

Enhancing Academic And Religious Values Through Literacy: An Ethnographic Qualitative Study In A Hindu Student Community, Ni Komang Sutriyanti, I Wayan Widiana, Ni Luh Ika Windayani, I Gede Wahyu Suwela Antara

The Qualitative Report

This study explores the influence of Indonesia's school literacy initiative program, also known as the school literacy movement (SLM), on academic achievement and religious character formation among Hindu students at Bali Mandara State High School. The SLM’s effects within Bali’s predominantly Hindu community provide a perspective on how literacy initiatives intersect with cultural and religious education in a largely Muslim country. The objective of the study was to assess the transformative impact of the SLM on both educational outcomes and character development, specifically examining its alignment with Hindu teachings. A qualitative approach was employed, with data collected through semi-structured interviews …

“Always Having To Dampen And Dilute My Essence In Order To Fit”: Intersectional Experiences Of Queer Scholars Of Color In Stem And Stem Education, Nuria Jaumot-Pascual, Lisette Torres-Gerald, Maria Ong

The Qualitative Report

This article examines the intersectional experiences of queer scholars of color in STEM and STEM education. Using arts-informed research methods, we conducted and analyzed five interviews and a focus group transcript that focused on the support and hurdles that five participants encountered and the strategies they utilized to navigate their work in STEM and STEM education. We identified that, against the backdrop of prevailing heteronormativity and normative whiteness in STEM, participants compartmentalized their STEM and social identities, felt compelled to negotiate the risks of coming out, and assumed the double burden and invisible work of students who were queer and/or …

Qualitative Analysis Of Emotion Schemes Theory Of Compassion Satisfaction In Emotion - Focused Therapy, Bronislava Šoková, Lenka Janík Blašková, Katarína Greškovičová, Júlia Halamová

The Qualitative Report

There is little to no research focused on the qualitative understanding of compassion satisfaction among helping professionals, despite the demanding nature of the profession. Our aim was to examine how helping professionals experience compassion satisfaction through the lens of emotion scheme theory applied in emotion-focused therapy. Eight helping professionals were randomly selected from the pool of 29 participants representing a convenience sample, with the age range from 20 to 44 years. Data were collected via online in-depth interviews with open-ended questions concerning emotion scheme of their intense experience of compassion satisfaction. To analyze the data, phenomenology and consensual qualitative analysis …

“We're Human. We Are Just Human”: Experiences Of Trans And Two-Spirit Individuals In The Midwest, Gwen Avery Donner

Honors Thesis

In the United States today, gender can be a hot button topic, seemingly controversial and assigned as political, and within conservative regions the topic of gender becomes more taboo. Unfortunately, this view can lead to the stigmatization and discrimination of individuals who fall outside of the socially constructed gender binary. In order to explore how living in the conservative landscape of the Midwest impacts individuals who reside outside of the gender binary, 11 semi-structured, qualitative interviews with Trans and/or Two-Spirit individuals were conducted in which they were asked about their lived experiences. The findings of the interviews revolved around two …