Digital Commons Network^™

Veganism Through A Racial Lens: Vegans Of Color Navigating Mainstream Vegan Networks, Iman Chatila

University Honors Theses

This study seeks to explore the diversity in perspectives regarding veganism and its intersections with race, food justice, and other identities such as class and gender, in order to answer the following research questions: Do the experiences of vegans of color differ in their relationships to other members of the vegan community? How do vegan politics intersect with racial politics and food politics? Do vegans of color show discomfort or resistance to whiteness and white privilege within mainstream vegan networks? Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted among vegans of color, as well as three interviews among white vegans to use this …

Atypical Speech Development And Working Memory Recall Ability, Savannah Leeann Couch

University Honors Theses

Background: Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch introduced working memory processes as a three component model including the visuo-spatial sketch pad, the central executive, and the phonological loop. The phonological loop has been theorized to play a role in speech and language acquisition and production. Aims: This study aimed to explore the potential relationship between school-aged children with atypically developing speech and their working memory ability as compared to their typically developing age matched peers. Methods: Participants age 5;0-5;11 and 8;0-8;11 were separated into two groups based on articulation test scores as well as any documented developmental challenges. The participants completed …

The Path To Modern Iran: An Examination Of Shiite Islam's Influence (1900-Present), Autymn A. Langford

University Honors Theses

Throughout history, we have struggled to determine how best to govern and maintain our societies. Many times religion has found a place in government by providing an enforceable framework of expected behaviors and laws to impose over citizens to create order in society.

In a country that separates church and state, the government attempts to not enact laws that are directly derived from any one religious ideology to avoid imposing religious codes onto citizens who choose to not abide by that particular religious code. In Iran the government has taken form as a theocracy, referred to as the Islamic Republic …

Exploring The Association Of Victimization And Alcohol And Marijuana Use Among American Indian Youth Living On Or Near Reservations: A Mixed Methods Study, Lindsay Nicole Merritt

Dissertations and Theses

Adolescent substance use research has yet to consider victimization as a potential risk factor contributing to alcohol and marijuana use among American Indian youth living on or near reservations, despite the presence of traumatic experiences, childhood adverse events, racism, and discrimination. Contribution to this lack of attention may be due to little being known about American Indian youth victimization. Even less is known about its association with alcohol and marijuana use in general and for those youth living on or near reservations in particular.

This study utilizes mixed methods with a nationally representative sample of American Indian youth living on …

Exploring District Judges' Decision Making In The Context Of Admitting Expert Testimony, Andrew Bryan Dzeguze

Dissertations and Theses

Over the last several decades, multiple schools of thought have emerged regarding what impacts judicial decision making. In contrast to the classic legal model, studies have argued alternatively that judges are policy actors who rule consistent with their political attitudes; that behavioral traits such as race, gender and socialization influence judicial conduct, both consciously and unconsciously; that whatever policy interests judges may have, these are moderated by institutional constraints and strategic considerations; and that judges are subject to some common cognitive shortcuts in decision making, although they may be moderated or present differently than in the general population in light …

A Comparative Examination Of Primary Care Physician Shortages In Oregon, Arizona, And South Carolina, Jamie L. Wimmer

University Honors Theses

In the midst of the current United States healthcare crisis, the shortage of primary care physicians is becoming increasingly evident. Its prevalence, although seen nationwide, directly affects specific states, creating what are known as Health Professional Shortage Areas, or HPSAs. HPSAs have a substantial lack in primary care providers in comparison to the number of individuals in a specified geographic location. Oregon in particular, is home to 120 HPSAs, with current shortages of approximately 600 physicians: a deficit expected to reach 1,500 by the year 2030 (OHWI, 2011).

While there are multiple elements that contribute to the development of HPSAs, …

Understanding The Impacts Of Urbanization On The Avian Community Of Portland Oregon And Evaluation Of The Portland Oregon Backyard Habitat Certification Program, Andrew Daniel Gibbs

Dissertations and Theses

Over fifty percent of humans live in cities. The environmental cost of this is massive, as is the potential for utilizing privately held yards as an integral part of conservation in urban areas. The Backyard Habitat Certification Program (BHCP) in Portland, Oregon, was established to reduce invasive plants, support wildlife, and promote conservation. The program involves > 3000 yards certified at three tiers. While onsite inspections are required to verify compliance, there has never been an assessment of the value of these yards to wildlife. Chapter 1 examined the relationships between the urban landscape and bird distributions outside of yards. Chapter …

Erasing History? Contextualizing Modern Monument Destruction Through An Archaeological Lens, Stephanie Holton

University Honors Theses

Cultures throughout the world have expended great amounts of energy in the practice of monument construction. Often, the resulting monuments become a part of the archaeological record through processes of either environmental or cultural deposition, and sometimes even by means of intentional destruction. The destruction of such an energetically costly object begs explanation, and is particularly relevant given the movement currently taking place across the United States to destroy or relocate standing Confederate monuments. My project sought to place the current monument destruction in a larger historical context through the analysis of three archaeological case studies. I attempted to separate …

The Influence Of Individual Differences On Eco-Driving Training Transfer And Spillover: A Correlational Study Of Proactive Personality And Motivation, Timothy Oxendahl

University Honors Theses

Eco-driving is an environmentally-conscious way of operating a vehicle that decreases fuel emissions and increases safety. The present study analyzed the relationship of proactive personality with 1) eco-driving training transfer and 2) spillover to home driving behaviors, along with the moderating effects of motivation. After an eco-driving information campaign was implemented at three public sector organizations, web-based surveys were administered to light-duty fleet drivers at three time points over the span of 6 months. Results based on hierarchical multiple regression models demonstrated the effect of proactive personality on Time 3 eco-driving behaviors was moderated by Time 1 motivation, such that …

Being American: An Illustrated Conversation On Identity, Elea Christine Davison

University Honors Theses

This study inspects the perceptions of people about their identity as it relates to their country of origin. Argentina and the United States of America are the countries being viewed. The research discusses how anthropologists have viewed peoples’ relationships in the United States and Argentina, with their government and country. To test out these claims booklets were sent to small sample sizes in the United States of America and Argentina. Participants were asked to fill out the booklets through drawings. This sought to support that illustration is a valuable and valid form of data collection. The data then was compiled …

Impacts Of Mindfulness Training On Mechanisms Underlying Stress Reduction In Teachers: Results From A Randomized Controlled Trial, Jaiya Rae Choles

Dissertations and Theses

A teacher's ability to foster and sustain high quality learning environments for their students relies largely on their own coping abilities and mental health. However, due to the emotionally taxing nature of their profession, teachers are at increased risk for developing elevated levels of occupational stress and burnout. To help teachers cope with their occupational stress and other negative emotions related to their occupation, mindfulness-based stress reduction programs for teachers have been introduced through schools. Evidence for the effectiveness of such programs is promising, however few studies have considered underlying mechanisms that may be driving these effects.

Using data collected …

Exploration Of Ayahuasca’S Mechanisms In The Treatment Of Stimulant Use Disorder, Aaron M. Eisen, Nicholas A. Smith, W. S. Griesar

Student Research Symposium

Stimulant use disorder presents an enormous epidemic in our society; further research on new treatment methods remains necessary. Ayahuasca (an entheogenic medicinal plant extract distinguished by the serotonergic psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine in combination with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor) may potentially be such a treatment for stimulant use disorder. Four theories hypothesize the biochemical, physiological, psychological, and transcendent mechanisms describing ayahuasca’s potential as a therapeutic treatment. To investigate ayahuasca’s potential as a mechanism of treatment, we propose a placebo-controlled experimental design comprising of 50 participants who are moderate daily consumers of methamphetamine. We expect that ayahuasca treatment will result in reduced substance …

Toward Understanding Pu And Peou Of Technology Acceptance Model, Nayem Rahman

Student Research Symposium

Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is considered one of the most popular models used in Information System (IS) research. Fred Davis developed this model as part of his doctoral research at MIT in 1986. Since then this model has been widely used in IS research and other disciplines. Two main components of TAM are Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU). This model allowed researchers to plug-in external factors to these two components. Researchers have used a variety of external factors to draw relationships between these two internal factors of TAM model. However, most of the research used these …

Aerospace Mission Outcome: Predictive Modeling, Ephraim Suhir

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Human-in-the-Loop (HITL)-related models can be applied in various aerospace vehicular problems, when human qualifications and performance are crucial and the ability to quantify them is therefore imperative; since nobody is perfect, these evaluations should preferably be done on a probabilistic basis. The suggested models can also be used in many other areas of applied science and engineering, not even necessarily vehicular engineering, when a human encounters an extraordinary situation and should possess a sufficiently high human capacity factor (HCF) to successfully cope with an elevated mental workload (MWL). The incentive for probabilistic predictive modeling and the rationale for such modeling …

Global Muslim Audiences’ Polysemic Reading Of “My Name Is Khan”: Toward An Emergent Multiculturalism, Priya Kapoor

International & Global Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this study, we learn how audiences make sense of a non-dominant text that is conveying a nonWestern story about the Global War on Terror (GWOT). The audiences affective narratives affirm Deuze’s argument that media is not separate from our lived experience; we live in media rather than with media. This study was conducted on an urban campus in the Pacific North-West, with film audiences of over fifty Saudi Arabian, Baharanian, Iranian, Iraqi, Yemeni, and other Arab and non-Arab Muslims. Multiple screenings of Hindi language film, My Name is Khan, shows that it speaks to a global, transcultural, primarily Muslim …

Reaching Those At Risk For Psychiatric Disorders And Suicidal Ideation: Facebook Advertisements To Recruit Military Veterans, Alan R. Teo, Samuel B.L. Liebow, Benjamin Chan, Steven K. Dobscha, Amanda L. Graham

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Younger military veterans are at high risk for psychiatric disorders and suicide. Reaching and engaging veterans in mental health care and research is challenging. Social media platforms may be an effective channel to connect with veterans.

Objective: This study tested the effectiveness of Facebook advertisements in reaching and recruiting Iraq and Afghanistan-era military veterans in a research study focused on mental health.

Methods: Facebook ads requesting participation in an online health survey ran for six weeks in 2017. Ads varied imagery and headlines. Validated instruments were used to screen for psychiatric disorders and suicidality. Outcomes included impressions, click-through rate, …

Documenting Accessibility, Eric Nambo

Office of Information Technology Publications and Presentations

This lightning talk presentation discusses ARIA, style guides, and pattern libraries for accessible web experiences.

What Is It Like To Become A Bat? Heterogeneities In An Age Of Extinction, Stephanie Erev

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

In his celebrated 1974 essay “What Is It Like to Be a Bat?,” Thomas Nagel stages a human-bat encounter to illustrate and support his claim that “subjective experience” is irreducible to “objective fact”: because Nagel cannot experience the world as a bat does, he will never know what it is like to be one. In Nagel’s account, heterogeneity is figured negatively— as a failure or lack of resemblance—and functions to constrain his knowledge of bats. Today, as white-nose syndrome threatens bat populations across North America, might figuring heterogeneity positively, as a condition of creativity, open up new modes of receptivity …

Communicating Gender, Race And Nation In The Purvi Patel Case: The State, Biopower, And The Globality Of Reproductive Surveillance, Priya Kapoor

International & Global Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purvi Patel was bleeding after a miscarriage when she drove herself to the local hospital in South Bend on the night of July 13–14, 2013. She hid the lifeless fetus behind the family restaurant she worked in (Gray, 2015; Bazelton, 2015). Despite the precarity of her postpartum condition, with a twenty percent loss of blood, Patel was incarcerated after being subject to questioning by County Metro Homicide Unit Detective Galen Pelletier, a few hours after she checked in at the emergency unit. Patel’s pleas of miscarrying were not heeded so she was treated as if she had executed a premeditated …

Military Factors Associated With Smoking In Veterans, Sara E. Golden, Sujata Thakurta, Christopher G. Slatore, Hyeyoung Woo, Donald R. Sullivan

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Given the high prevalence of smoking among Veterans and the economic, social, and clinical implications, it is important to understand the factors that contribute to smoking in order to focus efforts to mitigate these factors and improve smoking cessation efforts among Veterans. The availability of research on smoking in Veterans compared with civilians is limited given the military-specific differences in their life course. We aimed to identify military-specific factors combined with sociodemographic factors for ever smoking and current smoking among Veterans to inform future interventions. Materials and Methods: We used data from the 2010 National Survey of Veterans, the …

Caravan Of Stilts, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

We all know that the expedition we are planning and which, Inshallah, we shall undertake in the fall, has been attempted at least once before. But the documents in our archives that tell us of that earlier expedition into the Gobi are fragmented and contradictory. The most reliable of these documents indicates that the expedition failed, that its members desisted from their attempt to cross the fearsome desert, that there were casualties. We need to contemplate the possible reasons for this alleged failure. I bring you news today of a surprising finding made by our scouting team in one of …

Comparative Use Of The Ages And Stages Questionnaires In Low‐ And Middle‐Income Countries, Jason W. Small, Hollie Hix-Small, Emily Vargas-Baron, Kevin P. Marks

Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Aim: To map the breadth of use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) across world regions, and examine procedures for ASQ translation, adaptation, psychometric evaluation, and administration.

Method: We conducted a review of all original, peer‐reviewed studies written in English referencing use of the ASQ in LMICs. We used a consensus rating procedure to classify each article into one of four categories: feasibility study, psychometric study, prevalence study, or research study.

Results: We analysed 53 peer‐reviewed articles written in English detailing use of the ASQ in LMICs. We found evidence …

Harnessing Social Media To Explore Youth Social Withdrawal In Three Major Cities In China: Cross-Sectional Web Survey, Lucia Lin Liu, Tim Mh Li, Alan R. Teo, Takahiro A. Kato, Paul W.C. Wong

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Socially withdrawn youth belong to an emerging subgroup of youth who are not in employment, education, or training and who have limited social interaction intention and opportunities. The use of the internet and social media is expected to be an alternative and feasible way to reach this group of young people because of their reclusive nature.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the possibility of using various social media platforms to investigate the existence of the phenomenon of youth social withdrawal in 3 major cities in China.

Methods: A cross-sectional open Web survey …

Is Therapy Going To The Dogs? Evaluating Animal Assisted Therapy For Early Identified At-Risk Children, Leah Faith Brookner

Dissertations and Theses

This study explores the historical context of human-animal relationships and examines the important ways that humans benefit from various types of interactions with domesticated animals. Therapeutic approaches that incorporate animals have been shown to have multiple benefits, including improved physical and mental health. Although this area of study is still largely overlooked in scientific fields of study, including social work, Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) has become increasingly prevalent in various mental health settings. Despite its popularity and anecdotal support, research on the benefits of AAT with children is minimal; there are no studies examining the ways in which this approach …

Emerging Discourse Incubator: The Roles Of Institutional Complexity And Hybridity In Social Impact Supply Chain Management, Madeleine E. Pullman, Annachiara Longoni, Davide Luzzini

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Supply chain research and practice has moved beyond green or environmental issues to include social issues. But much of the focus still remains on attempts of large companies to reduce social harm along their supply chains rather than creating social good. At the same time, research investigating the role of NGOs in supply chains or humanitarian logistics often emphasizes temporary initiatives and overlooks long term viability. This conceptual paper seeks to expand the playing field by looking at how social enterprises manage their supply chains to generate social benefit while maintaining or improving their financial viability in the long term. …

Making Room For Roses: The 1911 Relocation Of The Multnomah County Poor Farm, Kira Helene Lesley

Dissertations and Theses

From 1868 to 1911, the Multnomah County Poor Farm off Canyon Road in the Tualatin Hills housed indigent and sick residents of Portland and surrounding areas. In 1911, county officials relocated the Poor Farm from the West Hills flanking Portland to the far eastern portion of the county. Subsequently, the site hosted a municipal golf course and is currently home to the Oregon Zoo and Hoyt Arboretum. With no physical presence left, the original Poor Farm was quickly forgotten, and the reasons for its relocation have been obscured by the passage of time. Occasional references to the farm in newspapers …

The Role Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In The Preparation Of Secondary Teacher Candidates For Successful Teaching Of Diverse Learners: A Multiphase Mixed Methods Case Study, Rosalyn Taylor

Dissertations and Theses

The dramatic demographic shift occurring in this country makes it essential that our nation examines its policies, practices, and values as they relate to culturally diverse learners. That this student population remains underserved needs immediate attention. One arena that can become a part of the solution to the underachievement of diverse learners is teacher education and preparation programming.

The purpose of this research study was to give attention to this issue and to understand what an urban teacher education program (UTEP) with an educational equity and social justice mission does to prepare its secondary teacher candidates (STCs) to work successfully …

Trajectories Of The Expression Of Negative Emotion From Kindergarten To First Grade: Associations With Academic Outcomes, Maciel M. Hernández, Nancy Eisenberg, Carlos Valiente, Marilyn S. Thompson, Tracy L. Spinrad, Kevin J. Grimm, Sarah K. Vanschyndel, Rebecca H. Berger, Kassondra M. Silva, Armando A. Pina, Jody Southworth, Diana E. Gal

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We examined individual trajectories, across four time points, of children’s (N = 301) expression of negative emotion in classroom settings and whether these trajectories predicted their observed school engagement, teacher-reported academic skills, and passage comprehension assessed with a standardized measure in first grade. In latent growth curve analyses, negative expressivity declined from kindergarten to first grade, with significant individual differences in trajectories. Negative expressivity in kindergarten inversely predicted first-grade school engagement and teacher-reported academic skills, and the slope of negative expressivity from kindergarten to first grade inversely predicted school engagement (e.g., increasing negative expressivity was associated with lower school engagement). …

Transition With Purpose: Pathways From English Language To Academic Study, Michele Miller, Anne Greenhoe

PDXOpen: Open Educational Resources

This Open Access Textbook will guide students through their English language to academic degree studies.

Part one of this textbook is a guide for moving from ESL study to academic study at Portland State University*. It includes the resources students will use to understand policies and processes governing their degree study and their transition to academic coursework.

Part two focuses on how academic skills are used across various disciplines and is comprised of activities and assignments designed to practice these skills.

Key elements include culture and expectations in an American university, transferring academic skills from ESL to content-specific academic courses, …

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet April 2018, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The April 2018 Monthly packet includes the April agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held March 2018.