Digital Commons Network^™

One Family Under Kim:, Jared Johnson

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K. or the state), as one of the most isolated and controlled states in Asia, has since its founding attempted to shape the culture and ideology surrounding the family construct to support the rule of the socialist regime and its leaders, the Eternal President, Kim Il Sung, and his successors. In Korea, like the rest of East Asia, the traditional family unit has been a central societal structure for centuries. Largely based upon Confucianism, the nuclear family—referring generally to the biological family unit of parents and children—has determined not only the lifestyle and livelihood …

Mystics, Oracles, And Bones: Spiritual Resistance For Justice, Healing, And Resolution, Leah Hollis

Comparative Civilizations Review

This conceptual essay examines the enduring human impulse to seek meaning, justice, and healing through mystical traditions in response to suffering and harm. When traditional solutions through grievance, the law, or mediation fails, some individuals may turn to spiritual practices not as superstition, but as embodied strategies of survival, reclamation, and clarity. Comparing diverse traditions from a variety of cultures, including oracle bone divination in ancient China, the Oracle at Delphi in Greece, West African Ifá, Benin’s Voudou, diasporic Hoodoo, Celtic Druidic law, and Sufi mysticism, this paper explores how mystics have long served as interpreters of suffering and perceived …

Motherhood In K-Drama:, Rebecca Dewitt

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

Memory is a funny thing. We look back on the past experiences in our lives and some appear crystal clear to us, others murky. The truth is, every memory is warped by time and shifting perspective, and it is rare that our memories are truly and entirely accurate to the actual events that occurred. The same can be said with history and peoples—–the collective memory of a group works much in the same way as the memory of the individual. Past events and experiences are somewhat warped through current ideas, emotions, and experiences. This is not wrong per se, it …

Do Cohort Restatements Generate Contagion? A Re-Examination, Melissa F. Lewis-Western, Timothy Seidel, Michael S. Wilkins

Faculty Publications

Gleason, Jenkins, and Johnson (2008) provide evidence that restatements lead to stock price declines among non-restating industry peer firms, suggesting that investors perceive contemporaneous manipulation within the industry. In contrast, Kedia, Koh, and Rajgopal (2015) find that restatements—especially less severe ones—encourage peer firms to initiate earnings manipulation. These divergent findings, together with the rising prevalence of less severe restatements and advances in monitoring technologies, motivate a re-examination of manipulation contagion. Although we are able to replicate the results of both seminal studies, we find that the results in Kedia, Koh, and Rajgopal (2015) are sensitive to design choices that affect …

Psychological Distance And Auditor Assessment Of The Severity Of An Internal Control Deficiency, Scott C. Jackson, John D. Keyser, Douglas F. Prawitt

Faculty Publications

Auditors often underestimate the severity of internal control deficiencies, particularly when associated misstatements are immaterial. We find that auditors are more likely to correctly classify a material weakness when no misstatement information is provided than when misstatement information is available, and that this finding may unconsciously arise from auditors’ construal level in judging control deficiency severity. Through a series of experiments, we manipulate misstatement information related to an internal control deficiency designed to represent a material weakness. We hold the size of potential misstatement constant and find that auditors and graduate auditing students are less likely to correctly assess the …

Longitudinal Associations And Interactions Of Adolescent Religious Deidentification And Parental Sanctification On Parent-Adolescent Relationships, Justin Hendricks, Sam A. Hardy, Michael A. Goodman, Emily De Schweintiz Taylor

Faculty Publications

In many religious families, shared religious identity is a strong source of intergenerational solidarity. However, when adolescents deidentify from their family faith, normative parent-adolescent conflict, which heightens in mid-adolescence and normally subsides in late-adolescence, may intensify and damage parent-adolescent social cohesion. Many religious parents view parenting relationships as sanctified, which typically leads to adaptive parenting, but in the context of deidentification may lead to greater distress. To understand how adolescent religious deidentification influences parentadolescent relationships, we examined the longitudinal associations and interactions of adolescent children’s religious deidentification and parental sanctification on parent-child religious conflict and parental warmth (N = 1,391 …

Developmental Themes Associated With Religious Activity After Early Return From A Latter-Day Saint Mission, Samuel E. Hancock, Sam A. Hardy, Michael Goodman, Camron Angell, Jenae M. Nelson

Faculty Publications

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, qualified young men are expected (and young women are given the option) to complete extended missionary service during the transition to adulthood. Some youth end their missionary service short of the anticipated duration, which is associated with markedly lower rates of religious activity post-return. This study is a qualitative inquiry into the developmental themes associated with early returned missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who chose to remain active (be consistently involved with the church), sampling from areas with high rates of Latter-day Saint activity, where stigmatization …

The Role Of Working Memory In The Acquisition Of L2 Russian Case, Natalia V. Parker

Russian Language Journal

With the development of cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics, the view of individual differences has been evolving and now includes concepts such as cognitive processing and Working Memory (WM) (e.g., Doughty, 2019; Jackson, 2020; McConnell, 2023; Wen & Teng, 2023). The present study contributes to this line of research by investigating the relationship between WM capacity and the accuracy of L2 Russian case inflection production by complete beginners in instructional settings, which is an under-researched area. The data are part of a larger study, which involved a 20-week teaching intervention with English-speaking volunteers (n=27), who were taught two Russian cases (Prepositional …

Dynamic And Stable Motivation Patterns In Intensive Second Language Learning: Insights From A Russian Summer Immersion Program, Dmitrii Pastushenkov

Russian Language Journal

Understanding what shapes student motivation is essential to improving second language (L2) programs. While motivation is among the widely studied individual differences (IDs) in second language acquisition (SLA), research has largely focused on commonly taught languages, limiting broader applicability. This mixed-methods study, grounded in Dynamic Systems Theory (DST), explores the motivational development of learners studying a less commonly taught language (LCTL), Russian, during an eight-week summer immersion program. Data were collected from 52 students across four instructional levels. Motivation was assessed through two brief online surveys, developed based on research by Gardner, Dörnyei, Lanvers, Thompson, and others, and administered during …

Why Russian? Language Choice And Enrollment In U.S. Universities, Emma Calderwood, Teresa R. Bell, Jennifer Bown, Grant H. Lundberg

Russian Language Journal

Russian language enrollments at U.S. universities have declined steadily since 2009 (MLA, 2023), yet little research has examined current student motivations for studying Russian, particularly after the 2022 escalation of the Russo–Ukrainian War. This study surveyed two groups: (a) students enrolled in any 101-level language course at University X and (b) students in Russian courses at six U.S. universities. Results show that motivations for studying Russian are primarily integrative—general interest in the language, desire to converse with Russian speakers, aspirations to travel to Russian-speaking countries, and previous Russian knowledge—rather than instrumental. Students who considered but did not choose Russian most …

Variability Of Individual Learner Trajectories In A Transformative Language Program, Victoria Hasko, Anastasiya Smith

Russian Language Journal

This qualitative multiple case study investigates how individual learner differences manifest and evolve within a transformative, proficiency-oriented undergraduate Russian language program. Drawing on complexity theory and transformative approaches to language education, the study explores how learners’ motivations, identities, and professional aspirations develop in a curriculum that integrates advanced language learning with long-term career planning. Three focal participants were followed longitudinally across their undergraduate trajectories, using a combination of standardized proficiency assessments and in-depth reflective interviews. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes shaping learner development: evolving orientations toward language learning, the curriculum as a transformative scaffold, emerging professional identities, and growing …

The Mediating Role Of Positive Psychology: Mindfulness And Learner Beliefs In The Russian Language Classroom, Kelly Knickmeier Cummings

Russian Language Journal

Language learning is an inherently emotional process, shaped by both positive and negative experiences that influence the individual difference of learner beliefs. This article explores the mediating role of positive psychology (PP) in second language acquisition (SLA), with a particular focus on mindfulness and its potential to reshape learner beliefs in the Russian language classroom. Drawing on theories such as Seligman’s PERMA model and Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory, as well as evidence-based interventions, the article argues that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) provide practical tools for cultivating positive learner beliefs and inclusive, growth-oriented classroom environments. Examples of MBIs—including practices of noticing, savoring, exploring …

Rethinking Wash: Innovative Pathways To Address Water, Health, And Poverty, Erica L. Jensen, Emma Indart, Faith Manchester, Sebastian Dorantes, Isabelle Stoddard

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

The Nonlinguistic Factors That Predict Spanish Oral Proficiency, Merrie Kay Ames

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the predictive power of self-assessment and nonlinguistic factors in determining Spanish oral proficiency among university learners. Drawing on data from 2,475 undergraduate students enrolled in a third-year Spanish course at Brigham Young University, the research examines how self-assessed speaking ability and experiential background variables--including age of acquisition, mission service, dual immersion, and study abroad--influence Oral Proficiency Interview - Computer (OPIc) scores. A one-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant but modest relationship between students' calibration (self-assessment minus actual ability) and their OPIc ratings, suggesting that learners can generally approximate their speaking proficiency within two sublevels. A multiple regression …

Full Issue

Studia Antiqua

No abstract provided.

Pheonix Imagery In Early Christian Art, Annie Spach

Studia Antiqua

In Early Christianity, often Christians used popular symbols that would point back to greater truths taught in their new faith. This paper discusses how early Christians followed his council through the use of the imperial representation of the phoenix rather than the common representation, highlighting their belief in resurrection, the majesty of Christ and their hope for eternal life given to all believers, while also speaking to a greater tradition outside of Christianity. The continued use of the phoenix as a symbol of resurrection, renewal, immortality and eternal life in the paradise of God is discussed, as well as the …

Perspectives On Cognitive Psychology In Ktu 1.40: Moral Implications And Prescribed Emotional Responses To Foster Unity, Richard Jarvis Iii

Studia Antiqua

This paper examines the Ugaritic ritual text KTU 1.40 through the framework of cognitive psychology to explore its moral implications and prescribed emotional responses. While earlier scholarship has debated whether this ritual carried moral weight, my analysis demonstrates that it prescribes the removal or amelioration of five moral emotions—disgust, fear, anger, empathy, and a sense of justice—to promote unity within the community of Ugarit. Building on Thomas Kazen’s approach and Gregorio del Olmo Lete’s translation, this study argues that the repeated structure and inclusive nature of KTU 1.40 reflect an intentional effort to bridge emotional divides among the many groups …

Front Matter

Studia Antiqua

No abstract provided.

Three Case Studies Of Transformative Learning In A Service-Learning Anthropology Course, Elizabeth S. Schulte

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the processes of personal transformation of three students enrolled in a service-learning based course that I taught at Brigham Young University. Informed by my observations as instructor of the course, in the analysis below I draw upon these students' weekly personal reflection essays to describe the process of individual transformation of these three students across the semester. This accounting provides insight into aspects of and contributing factors to that growth. I propose that a service-learning based course design with a framework of anthropological theory is a good way to facilitate transformational educational experiences. Aspects of service-learning such …

Understanding Asynchronous Learning For Moana Communities By Moana Educators In The Digital Vā, Theresa Pamela Onesemo-Holmes

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic shift from face-to-face learning to an online learning modality for learners globally. Moana (Pacific) communities of all ages were affected by the change due to the existing digital divide that remains an issue today. Research on culturally responsive learning pedagogy for Moana communities prior to the pandemic focused on in-person experiences. Navigating the vā (the relational space between all things) to engage with Moana communities was difficult for teachers during pandemic lockdowns. Online learning in Moana communities is an emerging field of research and has typically focused on synchronous learning. Instead, in my research …

A Systematic Study Of Passkey User Experience Consistency, Bernhardt Ramat

Theses and Dissertations

Passkeys have emerged as a more secure authentication method than passwords, providing a passwordless alternative resistant to phishing and credential theft attacks. Despite their growing adoption, a systematic study into the user experience of passkeys across various websites has yet to be conducted. Usability heuristics suggest that users transfer their expectations from one product to another, and therefore, inconsistencies in passkey deployments can increase cognitive load, resulting in frustration and possible rejection. To address this knowledge gap, this paper presents a comparative analysis of the external functional consistency of the passkey user experience across 111 websites. Our research reveals that …

Exploring The Individual Relationships Of Mothers' And Fathers' Parenting Styles With Emerging Adults' First-Term Gpa, Tiffany Fox Okeke

Theses and Dissertations

Parenting styles have most often been studied through the lens of adolescent academic outcomes but less is known about how mothers' and fathers' parenting styles influence academic performance separately, especially during the critical transitionary period to post-secondary education. This study examines how mothers' and fathers' parenting styles distinctly shape emerging adults' first-term academic outcomes during their postsecondary education, with a focus on the dimensions of parental warmth and control. The study uses the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 dataset and the NLSY97 Post-Secondary Transcript Data focusing on the 1997-2005 cohorts (N=3,478) along with OLS regression analyses to predict emerging …

Kuleana Mākua: Native Hawaiian Parents' Exercise Of Agency In K-12 School Selection, Joseph Piikeha Kahaka`Ulamaikalaniki`Eki`E Hao

Theses and Dissertations

In this qualitative study the author investigates how Native Hawaiian parents on Hawai`i Island navigate educational choices for their children amidst a history of centralized, Western-dominated schooling and systemic cultural suppression. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), the research explores parent perceptions of different K–12 school types and the complex factors that drive their selection. Through semi-structured interviews and a card sort activity with sixteen Native Hawaiian parents (n = 16), the study confirms that parental choice is fundamentally an act of indigenous self-determination defined by Kuleana Mākua (parental responsibility, authority, and privilege). The findings reveal that parents’ choices …

An Analysis Of Ukrainians' Language Attitudes And Ideology: A Conflict-Catalyzed Language And Identity Shift, Kateryna Kravchenko

Theses and Dissertations

On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine. According to Vladimir Putin's speech, the main goal of the war was to protect the Russian-speaking population of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Many Ukrainians indeed speak Russian on a daily basis, largely due to the long and complicated history between the two countries. Recently, there has been an increase in pro-Ukrainian ideologies (Kulyk 2016); however, as the full-scale invasion began, people started advocating for Ukrainian usage in all public domains, and many even vowed to never speak Russian again. Since then, there has been a profound change in language …

Enfrentando El Patriarcado: La Voz, El Espacio Femenino Y Lo Sobrenatural En Mexican Gothic De Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Raquel Macias Del Valle

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the crossroads of gender, space, and the supernatural in Mexican Gothic (2020) by Silvia Moreno–Garcia, examining how the novel challenges patriarchal structures through its protagonist, Noemí Taboada. Utilizing feminist theory, spatial analysis, and studies on the supernatural, this research demonstrates how Moreno–Garcia constructs a narrative in which female expression and connection are central to reinstating the feminine self as a subject. The novel presents High Place, the ancestral mansion of the Doyle family, as a space that embodies patriarchal control. Drawing on Gastón Bachelard’s The Poetics of Space and Marc Olivier’s Household Horror, this study examines how …

Is Relationship Satisfaction A Personal Trait?, Alyssa Brown

Theses and Dissertations

We explored individual differences in relationship satisfaction. We hypothesized a stable proportion of relationship satisfaction would be explained by individual differences. In Study 1 (N = 1619), individual differences accounted for 41% of the variance in ratings for relationship satisfaction and 22% for ratings of dedication. In Study 2, we attempted to model this unique variance using a Correlated Traits Correlated Methods Confirmatory Factor Analysis approach, then predict it using established traits from previous literature. Although our initial model had to be revised, our final exploratory model suggested individual relationship satisfaction was multifaceted: both dependent upon relationship type and possessing …

Listening To Life In A Noisy World: The Pitfalls And Promise Of Urban Acoustic Ecology, Leah O'Barr

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the application of soundscape ecology principles to urban settings. Soundscape ecology is the study of the entire sonic makeup of a community, composed of biophony (biological sound), geophony (environmental sound), and anthrophony (human-generated sound). By examining the changes in and qualities of the soundscape, researchers can gain information about the biological makeup and ecological quality of an area, and the temporal and spatial distribution of resident species. Recent technological advances in recording equipment and machine learning methods are making soundscape ecology an increasingly relevant and practical tool.

Applying soundscape ecology methods to urban ecosystems introduces unique challenges, …

Teaching And Learning In Envisioning Byu, Volume 1: Foundations And Dreams: A Latter-Day Saint University Educative Perspective, Nicholas P. Bown

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis outlines the principles of teaching and learning found within Envisioning BYU, Volume 1: Foundations and Dreams, a collection of foundational texts on education at Brigham Young University (BYU). In doing so, this thesis addresses a gap in internal university discourse about how to apply “gospel methodology” to teaching and learning at BYU. This study aims to elucidate these principles based on the assumption they may be of philosophical and practical value within BYU, as well as higher education more generally. In order to identify the salient teaching and learning principles found within Foundations, I conducted a qualitative textual …

Scaling Ai In Decision-Based Learning: A Data-Driven Evaluation For Resource Optimization, L. Ashley Schumacher

Instructional Psychology and Technology Graduate Student Projects

This project evaluated a AI Assistant built inside ChatGPT to support faculty in creating Decision-Based Learning (DBL) expert decision models in the Conate DBL software. The evaluation addressed a persistent training bottleneck: faculty experienced high cognitive load and significant time loss when navigating a documentation-heavy workflow that required repeated movement between training guides, ChatGPT, and the DBL platform, including extensive copy-and-paste steps. The AI Assistant was developed to replace much of the manual prompting process by providing structured protocols that guide model creation (e.g., exploring possible DBL models, creating paths, generating scenarios, and drafting learning modules) while faculty still build …

Multiple Baseline Single-Case Study: Narrative Resiliency Intervention For Couples With Adverse Childhood Experiences, Emma Elizabeth Allen

Theses and Dissertations

A multiple baseline single case study design was used to examine the effects of a narrative and resiliency-based intervention for couples with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Using piecewise multilevel modeling (MLM), the study evaluated changes in depressive symptoms, dyadic coping (DCI), and growth and empowerment measure (Emotional Empowerment Scale [EES-14] and 12 Scenarios [12S]) across waitlist and treatment phases. Five couples (10 individuals) participated in up to 17 waves, with staggered baseline and treatment lengths across dyads. Results indicated significant fixed effects of the 12S subscale for growth and empowerment during the treatment phase. There were no statistically significant fixed …