Women In Business Leadership, Stacey Thomas

Integrated Studies

Abstract

Female participation in business leadership, throughout the world, has traditionally been significantly less than their male counterparts. Various factors have been mentioned to be the cause of this issue. These include gender biases in the workplace and in cultural obligations, familial responsibilities, access to education, lack of female mentors and role models in leadership roles, as well as obstacles in advancement and gaps in compensation. It has been shown that gender bias is a strong motivator for the lack of female presence in business overall, but significantly so for leadership roles. Based on the expectations in our culture as …

Why Foreign Languages Should Be Taught In Elementary, Victoria Knight

Integrated Studies

Abstract

In this paper, I will be discussing the importance learning a foreign language during Elementary. Learning a foreign language is not only beneficial for a student’s job career and opportunities, but it also helps the brain. Research has shown that learning a foreign language at a younger age is actually easier for students, versus waiting until high school to introduce a foreign language. I will be addressing issues such as why schools wait until high school, the harm in waiting till high school, why this is a problem, oppositions of this topic, and more. Specifically, this paper will discuss …

Animal Epidemiology, Almesha Jones

Integrated Studies

The purpose for this research paper is to understand the epidemiology of animals. The research that I have done provides an overview of the natural history of diseases with research of four different animals’ canine, feline, equine, and bovine. Each species has the ability to possess different types of diseases and I will also describe different ways to prevent them. The sources in this paper was mostly found in books at the Murray State Library, and general websites. The natural history of diseases focuses on who discovered these diseases, and where they come from. This paper will also describe the …

Phthalate And Non-Phthalate Plasticizers In Indoor Dust From Childcare Facilities, Salons, And Homes Across The Usa, Bikram Subedi, Kenneth D. Sullivan, Birendra Dhungana

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

The quality of indoor environment has received considerable attention owing to the declining outdoor human activities and the associated public health issues. The prolonged exposure of children in childcare facilities or the occupational exposure of adults to indoor environmental triggers can be a culprit of the pathophysiology of several commonly observed idiopathic syndromes. In this study, concentrations of potentially toxic plasticizers (phthalates as well as non-phthalates) were investigated in 28 dust samples collected from three different indoor environments across the USA. The mean concentrations of non-phthalate plasticizers [acetyl tri-n-butyl citrate (ATBC), di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), and diisobutyl adipate (DIBA)] were found …

Assessment Of Surface Water Contamination From Coalbed Methane Fracturing-Derived Volatile Contaminants In Sullivan County, Indiana, Usa, Nicholas Meszaros, Bikram Subedi, Tristan Stamets, Naima Shifa

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

There is a growing concern over the contamination of surface water and the associated environmental and public health consequences from the recent proliferation in hydraulic fracturing in the USA. Petroleum hydrocarbon-derived contaminants of concern [benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX)] and various dissolved cations and anions were spatially determined in surface waters around 14 coalbed methane fracking wells in Sullivan County, IN, USA. At least one BTEX was detected in 69% of sampling sites (n=13) and 23% of sampling sites were found to be contaminated with all of the BTEX. Toluene was the most common BTEX compound detected across all …

I Love Your Face: Attraction And Facial Expressions Of Emotion, Kendall Swinney

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of two individual differences on ratings of attraction toward male facial expressions of emotion. Specifically, the influence of participants’ empathy and romantic attachment style on their attraction ratings of a target that displayed one of four emotions (i.e., sad, angry, happy, or neutral expression) was analyzed. This study found no relationship between empathy and participants’ attraction ratings; however, participant romantic attachment style did predict her attraction toward male emotional expressions. Specifically, individuals categorized as having an avoidant attachment style were less attracted to the happy expression than were those categorized …

Equitable Identification Of Frl-Eligible Gifted And Talented Students, Leann Pickerill

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research study was the equitable identification of Kentucky students in the general intellectual gifted and talented category. A quantitative study was used to identify relationships between a student’s socioeconomic status and identification. Statistical methods were used to examine statistical relationships between identification methods and socioeconomic status. A policy review was completed to determine if policies of highly equitable districts were comparable to low-equity districts.

The Influence Of Rti Upon Special Education Eligibility, Kasandra Raben

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

In 2004, the federal government gave states the option of using Response to Intervention as a prerequisite to referring children for special education eligibility for learning disabilities (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004). Research has generally supported this model although anecdotal evidence has suggested that the decrease in eligibility for learning disabilities is due to the reluctance of schools to refer children for learning disability eligibility because of the time required to implement the interventions prior to referral. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence that this model has had upon eligibility numbers in a large special …

The Effects Of Reward-Based Training On The Behavioral Assessment Of The Domestic Dog, Shelby Vandergraff, Shelby K. Vandergraff

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Contrary to popular belief, pet overpopulation is caused more by owners failing to keep their dog than with accidental or intentional breeding (Moulton et al., 1991). Factors related to relinquishment have been researched, and concluded that behavioral problems are the most reoccurring reasons observed (Bailey, 1992; Miller at al., 1996; Patronek et al., 1996; Serpell, 1966; Salman et al., 1998, 2000; Scarlett et al, 1999; New et al., 2000; Shore et al., 2003, 2005; Mondelli 2004, Blackwell et al., 2008). When animals are relinquished to the shelter, the likelihood of the animal being euthanized increases. The purpose of this research …

Habitat Modeling And Vegetation Mapping Of Mammoth Cave National Park Using Lidar Data And Multispectral Imagery, Hongli Yang

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

An up-to-date and detailed vegetation map provides critical information for habitat management. In addition, a habitat model is necessary for Park’s Fire Management, for classification of fuel types, and for delineation of fire management units. Several attempts to map the vegetation at the Mammoth Cave National Park were conducted in 1934, 1975, 1997 and 2011. This essential goal of this study was to produce a new vegetation habitat model and update the vegetation map for the Park. Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) imagery, LiDAR and bedrock dataset were used for habitat model configuration and vegetation mapping at Mammoth Cave National …

Ruth Harris: Under The Prairie Moon, Mary Hays

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Ruth Harris: Under the Prairie Moon is rooted in the rural Illinois landscape and its communities. The stories follow Ruth from childhood to old age and offer multiple viewpoints on fidelity, home, forgiveness, and finally, love. Focus on one character through a lifetime allows perspective to shift as she ages.

Caregiver Training Program On Emergent Literacy Development Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication Users, Meghan Bowers

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Teaching early literacy to typically developing individuals is widely practiced and has a vast amount of research backing its success (Strum et. al., 2006). Current research has shown that both children and adult augmentative and alternative (AAC) users are underachieving in the development of reading and spelling skills, but the underachievement in these areas is not correlated to a lack of cognitive and linguistic abilities (Sandberg, Smith, Larsson, 2010). Like their typically developing peers, AAC users must have the same repeated opportunities to participate in a wide range of literacy tasks to attain literacy skills (Strum et. al., 2006).

Children …

The Relationship Between Schizotypy, Creativity, & Behavioral Inhibition, Karrah Wood

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

A creative individual is believed to possess many positive traits—such as openness to new experiences and intelligence (Jauk, Benedek, & Neubauer, 2014)—but also traits that are considered less desirable, such as the tendency to be hostile or impulsive (Burch, Hemsley, Corr, & Gwyer, 2006; Fink et al., 2013). These findings reveal a possible link between creativity and psychopathology (Simonton, 1999). A large focus in the research has been on schizotypal personality disorder (i.e., “schizotypy”) and creativity, which has led to a number of positive findings between these two variables (Fink et al., 2013; Furnham, 2015). Additionally, other studies indicate that …

With A Body Like Mine: Relationship Between Body Esteem, Perceived Rivals, And Jealousy, Cheyenne Bourland

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The current study sought to examine the relation of body dissatisfaction to jealousy and the role of perceived rivals in that relationship. Specifically, it examined whether, in women, the perceived number of rivals to a romantic relationship mediated the relationship between body dissatisfaction and jealousy in a romantic relationship. Results indicated that there was a significant relation of body dissatisfaction to jealousy in a romantic relationship through perceived rivals to that romantic relationship. Subsequent regression analyses indicated that when all variables are placed in the model, only the variables of self-esteem and narcissism were predictors of overall jealousy in the …

To Stand Against The Company: A Study Of The British Honourable East India Company And Piracy In The Indian Ocean World, Circa 1680-1760, John Ridge

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to explore the multi-faceted challenges and hindrances brought upon the British East India Company by piracy in the Indian Ocean World. European and American pirates in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries influenced economic, political, and social factors in the Indian Ocean. The Angrians in the eighteenth century did the same, constituting an indigenous piratical threat. These forms of piracy encouraged the British East India Company to gradually bolster military strength to mobilize against them. With their own built up strength, Royal navy support, local Mahratta allies, and internal-conflict within the Angres, the British East India …

Examining The Relationship Between Inattention, Impulsivity, And Externalizing Behaviors In Children: Does Intelligence Play A Role?, Carrie Blackeye-Hall

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study gathered data using archival clinical files from the Murray State University Psychological Center, which provides psychological services to students, faculty, staff, and community members. The majority of the participants for the sample consisted of Caucasian (93%) males (60%) seeking an assessment (N = 76). Measures of externalizing behaviors and attentional problems were gathered from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and a measure of general cognitive ability (GAI) was gathered from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). It was hypothesized that the relationship between impulsivity and externalizing behaviors would be more pronounced when intelligence is lower. …

A Mediated Model Of Relationships Among Belonging, Identification, And Cohesion In College Athletes, Michelle R. Sherman

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

In an attempt to add to the limit literature measuring team identification and sense of belonging, a sample of 147 current student athletes completed measures of team identification with his or her current sport team, sense of belonging, and levels of cohesion. Four mediation analyses were computed to investigate that sense of belonging mediated the relationship between team identification and a) social integration cohesiveness, b) social attraction cohesion, c) task integration cohesion, and d) task attraction cohesion. Despite what was expected, only one hypothesis was significant: sense of belonging mediated the relationship between team identification and social attraction cohesion. Implications …

Is Knowing Half The Battle? The Effects Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Compared To Psychoeducation On Stigma Towards Mental Illness, Rebecca L. Fountain

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Psychoeducation have been shown to reduce stigmatizing thoughts towards individuals with mental illness. The present study compared the effects of a 50 minute ACT and 50 minute psychoeducation workshop on levels of stigma in college students (N = 76). Psychological flexibility and knowledge about mental illness were examined as potential mechanisms by which the workshops generated stigma reduction. Participants were randomly assigned to either workshop with pre and post scores on the Community Attitudes Towards the Mentally Ill scale used as the primary dependent variable. Both workshops were effective in reducing levels …

Concurrent Validity Of The Missouri Adaptive Behavior Inventory, Hannah Janecek

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to determine the concurrent validity of the Missouri Adaptive Behavior Inventory (MABI) by comparing it to the Adaptive Behavior Assessment ScaleThird Edition (ABAS-3). The MABI is an unpublished measure of adaptive behavior developed to specifically measure adaptive functioning required by federal statute. The ABAS-3 is a norm-referenced, valid, and reliable measure of adaptive behavior published in 2015. Twenty-five children were administered the MABI and the ABAS-3 in a counter-balanced manner, and raw scores were statistically compared using Pearson correlations. As expected, numerous statistically significant correlations were found among the MABI subtests and between the MABI and …

Eating Attitudes And Perception Of Peer Social Media, Sharon Smith

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

There is evidence that social factors influence eating-disordered behaviors through social modeling and social comparison. One way that researchers examine social comparison and perceptions of individuals with disordered eating behaviors is through vignette studies, but these studies may lack the nuance of how these behaviors are displayed outside of the lab, and therefore lack external validity. The current study examined how individuals who score high and low on the EAT-26 (a measure of eating behavior) perceive the eating behaviors of a fictional peer and possible social comparison target, presented in the form of a social media profile. Participants with higher …

Too Tired To Care: Religious Orientations’ Relationship With Ego-Depleted Empathy, Mark Handley

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Psychological research into various aspects of religiosity, empathy, and self-regulation has grown throughout the years. Using Wulff’s (1997) literal verses symbolic bipolar dimension of religiosity, Duriez (2004) found that participants who identified as tending to possess symbolic beliefs regarding religious symbols reported the ability to emphasize with others more than those adhering to increasingly literal interpretations of religious themes. Watterson and Giesler (2012) found that individuals who tended to have higher levels of religiosity appeared to engage longer in a self-regulatory task than those who showed lower levels of religiosity. Researchers interested in self-regulation have found individuals who had undergone …

Why Are Soft Skills Missing In Today's Applicants, Robert Schooley

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The employers in our country are claiming students are graduating high school and college without the soft skills to succeed in this country’s workforce. This study examined what are soft skills and why are they missing from recent graduates. The study took an historical approach to trace how soft skills have been used and ignored in our nation’s educational history to the point where employers are claiming they are missing in today’s job applicants. The study then conducted focus groups with elementary, middle and high school teachers to assess they ideas on why soft skills are missing or if …

Kinetic Analysis And Mechanochemical Syntheses Of Palladium Complexes, Jonathon Zachary

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Mechanochemical synthesis is a rapidly developing, more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional solution based syntheses. Mechanochemical methods often result in higher overall yields, minimize undesirable side reactions, and present cleaner more concise methods for compound preparation. This work will address the syntheses of three dialkyl 2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylate complexes of palladium(II) iodide and the kinetics of these reactions. Then, this work will address the improved synthesis and purification of 1,3-dimethyl-1H-benzimidazolium iodide and the synthesis of diiodo-bis(1,3-dimethyl benzimidazol-2-ylidene) palladium(II).

The successful synthesis of dialkyl 2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylate complexes of palladium(II) iodide was carried out under solvent free ball milling conditions and the kinetic analysis was …

Educating Collegiate Journalists To Cover And Cope With Traumatic Events, Stephanie Elder Anderson

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

STEPHANIE LYNN ELDER ANDERSON. How to Educate Collegiate Journalists to Cover and Cope with Traumatic Events (under the direction of DR. TERESA CLARK.)

This research study applied the qualitative method of open coding of data from professional journalists and journalism faculty members to determine whether trauma journalism should be incorporated into existing journalism curriculum. Trauma journalism emerged in the early 1990s but has not been integrated in most journalism programs. Prior research indicated the reasons trauma journalism is not included in most curriculum is because it is not an ACEJMC accreditation standard, there’s limited qualified faculty members to teach such …

A Presence-Only Species Distribution Model Comparison Predicting The Distribution Of The Amphibian Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis), Melanie L. Torres

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Global anthropogenic impacts have incited devastating effects on both human and wildlife populations. Emerging infectious diseases (EID) are one consequence of these impacts. One particular EID, chytridiomycosis, is a threat to global amphibian populations, causing massive die-offs and several species extinctions. While predictive modeling has helped the general understanding of where the aquatic pathogen causing chytridiomycosis, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), could spread to, most models are on continental or countrywide scales. This coarse-scale modeling makes local management and conservation planning for imperiled amphibians difficult. In addition, modeling efforts can vary depending on location and species, making it necessary to test the …

Superintendent Effect On Student Outcomes: Leadership Style, Educational Attainment, And Experience, Casey Allen

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Superintendents with five years of experience (n=48) were surveyed on Full Range Leadership style, educational attainment, and years of experience to determine whether Kentucky school superintendents had an effect on student outcomes. Data was collected on each superintendent’s district Overall Accountability Score (OAS) to determine student performance. Using the district OAS as the dependent variable, independent t-tests were performed to compare high transformational leaders to low transformational leaders, high transactional leaders to low transactional leaders, and high laissez-faire leaders to low laissez-faire leaders. Again, using district OAS as the dependent variable, a t-test was performed to compare superintendents with Kentucky …

Valhalla In Escrow, Deena Lilygren

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

A collection of short stories.

Making The Gilded Age: Myth, Money, And Misery In A Market Society, Austbrook D. Hudson

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This project argues myths are central to society. For the Gilded Age, this was especially true. Myths helped to explain the world, individually and nationally. Stories structure life. Stories structure nations. They are consequential in times of change when the world is incomprehensible. At an individual level, the self-made ideal explained success and failure. It came with an implicit promise: every individual had an equal opportunity to succeed in the new economy, and the system was fair. Myths of the Western experience explained national identity. It revealed traits including rugged individualism, independence, and perseverance came from taming the frontier. These …

Effects Of Posttranslational Modification Of Transcription Factor Gli-Similar 3 By Sumoylation On Insulin Transcription In Pancreatic Β Cells, Tyler M. Hoard

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The ability to control blood glucose levels is a fundamental component of vertebrates. In these organisms, blood glucose homeostasis is achieved through a fine-tuned mechanism that largely involves the secretion of hormones from the endocrine pancreas into the bloodstream. These hormones include glucagon, which is secreted by the α cells of the pancreas and initiates the release of glucose into the bloodstream through gluconeogenesis in the liver, and insulin, which is secreted from the β cells and signals the uptake of excess blood glucose by the peripheral tissue. Gli-similar 3 (Glis3) is a transcription factor that has previously been shown …

Cumulative Integration Of Academically Advanced Honors College Students, Scott Adair

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The study sought to understand what caused, or is causing, Murray State University Honors College students to become successful in post-secondary education. The researcher chose to extend the findings of previous research beyond the freshmen year and focus exclusively on what influences persistence until graduation for second, third, or fourth year students. While research that influences graduation is not a new idea, emphasis on influential factors that affect upper-level college students remains relatively unexplored. The whole student, consisting of domains that consider social integration, academic integration, intrinsic motivation, and key interactions that intermingle throughout the collegiate journey, were taken …