Digital Commons Network^™

Malevolent Creativity As Parochial Altruism? Examining The Intergroup Bases Of New And Harmful Ideas, Tin L. Nguyen, Alexis L. D'Amato, Scarlett Miller, Samuel T. Hunter

Reports, Projects, and Research

Emerging theory and evidence suggest that intergroup relations may stimulate malevolent creativity, but the intergroup foundations of malevolent creativity remain unexplored. Drawing from theories of intergroup conflict, we argue that malevolent creativity can be understood through the lens of parochial altruism, one’s willingness to partake in personally risky activity to harm outgroups (i.e. parochialism) in favor of an ingroup (i.e. altruism). Accordingly, malevolent creativity can be viewed as the willful generation and consideration of novel ideas for oneself to enact harm on an outgroup on behalf of an ingroup. Many instances of parochial altruism such as war or terrorism begin …

The “War On Cops,” Retaliatory Violence, And The Murder Of George Floyd, Michael Sierra-Arevalo, Justin Nix, Scott Mourtgos

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The police murder of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests in the summer of 2020 and revived claims that public outcry over such high-profile police killings perpetuated a violent “war on cops.” Using data collected by the Gun Violence Archive (GVA) on firearm assaults of U.S. police officers, we use Bayesian structural time series (BSTS) modeling to empirically assess if and how patterns of firearm assault on police officers in the United States were influenced by the police murder of George Floyd. Our analysis finds that the murder of George Floyd was associated with a 3-week spike in firearm assaults on …

Implementing An Alzheimer’S And Dementia Library Outreach Program: A Partnership Between The Nebraska Chapter Of The Alzheimer’S Association And Nebraska Libraries, Casey Wilkinson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This paper focuses on the establishment of an Alzheimer’s and dementia library outreach program in Nebraska, initiated by the Nebraska Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. The program aims to address the lack of community resources and support for individuals affected by dementia-related diseases in Nebraska. Extensive research, including interviews with successful library outreach programs globally, informed the program's foundation. A survey distributed to Nebraska libraries had a stellar response rate, with 57 libraries expressing interest in collaborating. An in-depth guide was created and distributed to the interested libraries, outlining program components such as educational programming, support groups, and a designated …

Latent Profiles Of Counselor Burnout: Associations With Self-Discrepancy, Isak Kim, Donghun Lee, Janghee Lee, Sang Min Lee

Counseling Faculty Publications

The purpose of this research study was to identify heterogeneous counselor burnout profiles using a latent profile analysis (LPA) and examine the profiles in association with counselors’ personal and professional self-discrepancies in counselor qualities. Data from 360 practicing professional counselors were used for analysis. LPA identified four distinct profiles: Well-Adjusted Counselors (n = 167, 46.4%), Disconnected Counselors (n = 68, 18.9%), Impaired Counselors (n = 22, 6.1%), and Persevering Counselors (n = 103, 28.6%). A series of Chi-square tests indicated there were significant associations between the burnout profiles and self-discrepancies in some counselor qualities, such as …

Psychological Trauma In Terrorism (Pt2r): Phase 1 End Of Year Report, Matthew Crayne, Neil Shortland, Jennifer L. Mezzapelle, National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, And Education Center

Reports, Projects, and Research

About the Report. This report summarizes the findings of Phase 1 of the PT2R project, a study in the structural design of terrorism and targeted violence research as a profession. Drawn from qualitative analysis of interviews with 35 active terrorism and targeted violence researchers, this report provides a comprehensive job analysis of terrorism research which can be used to inform future selection, assessment, and training of researchers. Additionally, we explore the issue of exposure to traumatic material as a necessary component of terrorism and targeted violence research and identify job-embedded risk factors for psychosocial harm to researchers.

Exploring Dimensions Of Bias-Based Bullying Victimization, School Fairness, And School Belonging Through Mediation Analysis, Deanna L. Burgess, Isak Kim, Youngwoon Seon, Seriashia J. Chatters

Counseling Faculty Publications

Bias-based bullying (BBB) is a serious problem for school-aged adolescents. However, limited attention has been paid to the mechanism of how BBB may affect youths' sense of belonging to the school. The purpose of the current study was to understand the associations between BBB victimization, school belonging, and school fairness among school-aged adolescents. The present study also examined whether school fairness mediated the link between BBB victimization and school belonging. Data were drawn from the “No Place For Hate” project, which examined bias-based incidents, school equity, and school belonging of a school district. The analytic study sample consisted of 2600 …

Messaging Matters: Ideological Influence Online Year 3 Final Report, Matthew L. Jensen, Shane Connelly, Shaila Miranda, Hairong Song, Ares Boira Lopez, Cecilia Gordon, Joseph Stewart, National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, And Education Center

Reports, Projects, and Research

Our objective is to provide Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decision-makers and associated partners with insights about processes extreme ideological groups use to recruit members, harness social identities, mobilize communication around issues, increase commitment to extremism, and incite violent action. Iterating between analyzing extremist microblog archives and lab experiments, our research team is systematically examining messaging content and strategies that foreshadow extreme cognitions, affect, and behaviors. This year's activities focus on English language content most germane to understanding domestic terrorism incidents that may occur within the U.S. Our work provides insights into how messaging content and strategies promoting and foreshadowing …

This Is An Accepted Manuscript Of An Article Published By Sage In [Journal Title] On [Date Of Publication], Available Online: [Article Doi] Reuse Restricted To Noncommercial And No Derivative Uses., Xiaohan Mei, Zachary Hamilton, Alex Kigerl, Amber Krushas, Faye S. Taxman

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

In the assessment world, risk determines “who” to treat and needs determine “what” (Bonta & Andrews, 2016). Yet, for youth, greater emphasis is placed on needs that target recidivism reduction interventions. Unlike risk, needs represent dynamic domains, or latent constructs, requiring testing to assure adequate measurement. We conducted a multi-level, multi-group analysis of the Modified Positive Achievement Change Tool (MPACT) with a 10-state sample of youth (N = 258,464). Findings confirm the validity and reliability of needs domains, and the development of a novel “Global Needs Factor,” a composite summary of needs. Created without criminal history/static measures, needs scales …

Founding Fathers Of The Modern American Neo-Nazi Movement: The Impacts And Legacies Of Louis Beam, William Luther Pierce, And James Mason, Jon Lewis, Haroro J. Ingram, National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, And Education Center, Program On Extremism, George Washington University

Reports, Projects, and Research

This study analyzes the leadership style, impact, and enduring legacies of three crucial leaders in the white supremacist and neo-Nazi movements: Louis Beam, William Luther Pierce, and James Mason. It examines the interplay of leadership traits, significant events in the life narratives of the leader, and the legacies of these three key pioneers towards two aims. First, our analysis draws on the CIP Leadership Framework and charismatic leadership studies to assess the respective leadership roles of Beam, Pierce, and Mason. Second, it considers how the leadership traits and ideological impact of these leaders shaped contemporary far-right movements in the United …

Facilitating Suspicious Activity Reporting At The Community Level, Karyn Sporer, Brooke Buxton

Reports, Projects, and Research

The purpose of this report was to identify how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other law enforcement agencies can leverage community partnerships to help counter targeted violence and to provide actionable insights on what technological, social, and financial barriers exist for families of extremists in reporting suspicious activities.

How Generalizable Are Findings From Police Surveys? A Review Of Multi-Agency Studies, Erin M. Kearns, Justin Nix

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Policing scholars frequently use surveys to understand officer attitudes and behavioral intentions. Yet, it is difficult to gain access to one – let alone multiple – agencies. Thus, officer surveys often reflect views in a single department, making it unclear how generalizable the findings are. For the present study, we conducted an exploratory review of articles published in 16 criminology and policing journals from 2000 to 2017. We identified 600 studies that involved surveying one or more samples of police officers. From this list, we set out to determine: (1) how often authors administered their surveys to more than one …

Graduate Student Perceptions Of Course Design And Materials, Teacher Presence, And Peer Engagement In Synchronous And Asynchronous Online Courses, Sara Caniglia Schulte

Educational Leadership Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

The purpose of this study was to examine graduate students' perceptions of online synchronous and asynchronous courses in peer engagement, teacher presence, and course design and materials. It further compared differences in synchronous and asynchronous courses, and whether graduate students' perceptions differed due to student age, number of courses taken, student gender, and student part/full time status. Online courses continue to be in demand well after the COVID19 pandemic forced universities to shift to remote learning. Students, especially nontraditional students, often prefer the convenience and flexibility synchronous and asynchronous courses have to offer (Croxton, 2014; Yamagata-Lynch, 2014). This study analyzed …

Student Success In Open Nebraska Courses: Nu Intercampus Oer Research Committee White Paper, Julie A. Pelton, Kimberly A. Carlton, Stephen Craig Finlay, Emily J. Glenn, Daniel Hawkins, Jaci Lindburg

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

The University of Nebraska’s unified open educational resources (OER) program – Open Nebraska – has saved NU students over $15 million in textbook costs as of May 2023. As Open Nebraska was instituted across campuses, the NU Intercampus OER Research Committee was convened to study the effect of the Open Nebraska program on student success beyond monetary savings. This white paper represents the first systematic findings of that effort. In general, NU students are less likely to fail or withdraw and more likely to earn better grades when instructors implement open educational resources in their courses. Furthermore, in line with …

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Commencement: May 2023, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Newsroom Social Culture And Journalistic Performative Roles : A Qualitative Case Study Of Ai As An Emerging Digital Innovative Technology In Newsrooms, Chad S. Owsley

Communication Faculty Publications

Throughout the evolution of journalism, innovative technology has played a pivotal role in shaping the production and consumption of news. The transformative power of disruptive technology has revolutionized the journalism industry in the past by impacting the society it serves through the diffusion of innovation. Artificial Intelligence, when operationalized for use in journalism, has the propensity to be a disruptive technology, possibly transforming the industry in significant and meaningful ways. This research investigates the impact of Artificial Intelligence as an emerging digital innovative technology on journalism and mass communication from a sociological and historical context. The aim of this study …

Community And Network Responses For Assisting Mobile Vulnerable Populations, Teresa C. Kulig, Allison V. Schlosser, Morgan A. Vanslyke, Laura E. Alexander, Cristián Doña-Reveco

Latino/Latin American Studies Reports

The COVID-19 crisis highlighted the increasing vulnerability of individuals, households, and communities. It has almost certainly been even more devastating for those who rely on community networks and organizations for aid but are less able to access aid networks in conditions of reduced mobility. This is the case for “mobile vulnerable populations,” among which include persons experiencing homelessness, victims of human trafficking,immigrants, refugees, and Latinos/as. This report summarizes our research with local Omaha service providers about what they need to serve mobile vulnerable populations in the community, how the pandemic has affected their ability to do so, and whether there …

Experiencing Romantic Loss In College: The Role Of Social Support On Mental Health, Keirstin Harkleroad

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The loss of a romantic partner can be a significant life event in one’s life. Breakups vary in intensity and length, but any strong enough bond being broken creates a life event. Pearlin's Stress Process model posits that in the face of a life event, such as the loss of a romantic partner, social-psychological resources can buffer the adverse effects of stressors on mental health. This study focuses on the resource of various sources and types of social support to gain an understanding of how individuals cope with a breakup during the already-stressful life stage of college. Using thematic analysis …

Systematic Barriers To Success: The Impact Of Redlining On Modern Educational Outcomes In Omaha Public Schools, Sarah Sedivy

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The systemic denial of mortgages, loans, and other financial services to specific neighborhoods on the basis of race, a practice known as redlining, has continued to have a disproportionately negative effect on communities of color since its inception in the 1930s. The contemporary impacts of redlining can be seen in ongoing disparities in household income, property values, generational wealth, and more. This paper uses a three-pronged approach to extensively examine the history, application, and implications of redlining, with an emphasis on how the practice affects modern educational outcomes in Omaha public schools. The paper analyzes statistical data from the Nebraska …

Making Sense Of Unofficial Deadly Force Data, Justin Nix

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Ferguson. Baltimore. Louisville. Minneapolis. Deadly police-civilian encounters over the past decade in these and other U.S. cities have launched presidential task forces and sparked protests, riots, and in some cases, retaliatory violence against officers (e.g., Dallas). Yet shockingly, there still isn’t a comprehensive, official dataset that tracks the use of deadly force by police officers. The absence of such a dataset seems absurd, given the widespread ability to track other information like current employment statistics or when a package will arrive at the recipient’s doorstep. The absence of such a dataset makes it too easy for people with large platforms …

An Experimental Look At Reasonable Suspicion And Police Discretion, Kyle Mclean, Justin Nix, Seth W. Stoughton, Ian T. Adams, Geoffrey P. Alpert

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Purpose

This study aims to demonstrate the need for further examination of legal judgments and the exercise of discretion in policing.

Design/methodology/approach

A factorial vignette survey with traffic stop scenarios based on US Court of Appeals decisions was administered to 396 police officers across six states. Officers were asked to indicate their assessment of the presence of reasonable suspicion and the likelihood that they would extend the stop for investigatory purposes.

Findings

Officers' reasonable suspicion judgments are significantly influenced by the vignette facts and align with court ruling expectations. However, even in the presence of reasonable suspicion, responses indicate a …

Fact Book, Academic Year 2022, Systems Intelligence & Data Analytics, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Fact Book

The Fact Book presents important campus information in data tables and charts. Included are details regarding students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Generally, data are broken out by college, rank, level, gender, age and ethnicity for both spring and fall semesters, past to present. There are a few academic year tables that include information on tuition & fees, student credit hours by program, and degrees conferred. We wish to thank the many individuals and departments at the University for their contributions to the Fact Book.

Sustainable Small House Project, Mollie Jo George

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The Sustainable Small House Project was developed in cooperation with UNO/UNL Engineering, UNO Gerontology, and Metro Community College. This project merges both sustainable living with the small house movement to promote aging-in-place for older adults. This presentation describes the journey of Dr. Bing Chen as he envisioned the Sustainable Small House Project to its development and finally to implementation at its current location--west of Baxter Arena or adjacent to the UNO ballfield.

From a gerontological lens, the project focuses on principles of universal design which allows for aging-in-place, fall-detection and prevention using smart technologies such as Nobi, and voice-activated technologies …

The Interplay Of Conflicting And Complementing Institutional Logics In Sustainability Practices, Ivana Milosevic, A. Erin Bass, Benjamin Schulte

Management Faculty Publications

The impact of institutional environments on sustainability is well documented in the international business literature. However, how multiple and occasionally conficting institutional logics shape sustainability as it is practiced by individuals across countries remains undertheorized. Our study contributes to this line of research by examining how multiple institutional logics inform the comprehension of sustainability practices in two high-hazard organizations in the Republic of Serbia and Canada. In doing so, our fndings explicate three multi-level mechanisms – pulling down (1st level), relating (2nd level), and aligning (2nd level) – through which individuals in these organizations across two countries construct a localized …

Key Finding Of The 2022 Nebraska End-Of-Life Survey: A Report For Nebraska Hospice And Palliative Care Association, Julie L. Masters, Amanda Kirkpatrick, Mariya Kovaleva, Harlan Sayles, Patrick Josh

Gerontology Faculty Publications

The 2022 End-of-Life survey is a continuation by the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association (NHPCA) to understand the knowledge, beliefs, and actions of Nebraskans and their end-of-life (EOL) wishes. Previous surveys conducted in 2003, 2006, 2010, and 2017 helped to inform the 2022 survey. Results of previous surveys can be found on the NHPCA website. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Sociological Research contracted with NHPCA to prepare, distribute, and enter survey data for a random sample of Nebraskans 19 years of age and older. Survey invitations were sent to 3,000 Nebraskans 19 years of age and older in …

Night By Florence Price, Yasmine Elrefaie

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This presentation serves as a learning guide for singer and teacher for Florence Price's Night. This guide will take the learner step by step through text and rhythmic stress, melodic line and working with the accompaniment track provided with the song book.

Child's World: Seven Days By Mable Bailey Tutorial, Mary Bruegman

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This presentation serves as a learning guide for singer and teacher for Mabel Baileys' Seven Days. This guide will take the learner step by step through text and rhythmic stress, melodic line and working with the accompaniment track provided with the song book.

Within Thy Heart: Composure Amy Beach, Sam Howdle

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This presentation serves as a learning guide for a singer and teacher for Amy Beachs' Withing Thy Heart. This guide is a step-by-step guide to help the student learn notes, rhythms, and text, as well as includes an accompaniment track for the singer's use.

Song Tutorial: In The Springtime, Arr. Betty Jackson King, Matthan Mrkvicka

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This song tutorial is designed to guide the learning and practice for the vocal solo In The Springtime, arr. Betty Jackson King. This tutorial does not replace individual practice time, rather it is a tool to enhance that time and provide resources for singers. (Score not included).

Yo Simplemente Soy, Well Behaved Women, Carmel Dean, Isa Gott

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This presentation serves as a learning guide for singer and teacher for Carmel Dean’s “Yo Simplemente Soy” from Dean’s song cycle, Well Behaved Women. This guide will take the learner step by step through text and rhythmic stress, melodic line and working with the accompaniment track provided with the song book.

I Want To Die While You Love Me, Roephanye Powell, Jill Galvin

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This is a song tutorial for I Want to Die While You Love Me by Rosephanye Powell. Throughout this PowerPoint, you will be able to access step-by-step instructions on learning this piece, until you are ready to sing it with only the piano track.