Digital Commons Network^™

Art And The Ordinary: Literary And Visual Constructs Of The Mundane, Jenessa Kenway

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

My research has shown that it is typical of the mundane to be overlooked. The mundane spools out continuously before us unheeded in the form of tasks accomplished almost without our notice. In moment of pause, we look and are overwhelmed with a level of detail and experience which, relieved of the typical haze of inattention, is practically foreign to us. As a student of literature, I’ve discovered the rich exchange between the depiction and the description of mundane objects even though the two are more often treated separately. My observations and arguments below seek to bridge that division by …

The Role Of Social Location In Coping With Caregiving, Jacqueline Ragin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A salient concern stemming from population aging is the expected rise in demand for informal family caregivers for diseases impacting the elderly, including dementia (MMMI 2010; NIA and WHO 2011). Studies of caregiver well-being often problematize the sociodemographic caregivers (e.g. gender, marital status) while caregiver intervention studies typically focus on the program itself (Gallagher-Thompson et al., 2008; Rabinowitz et al., 2006; Shulz et al., 2003). In this dissertation I unite these two bodies of caregiver research and examine how the sociodemographic characteristics of participants in a caregiver intervention program relate to the program’s effectiveness. I use secondary data from the …

Launching Conservative Resistance: A Rhetorical Criticism Of The Young Americans For Freedom, Tyler John Snelling

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

At the end of the 1940s, conservatives faced internal divisions, an elitist image, and people supporting government post Great Depression. Liberalism seemed entrenched throughout society. Yet, the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), the first national, conservative movement, formed in 1960. This thesis investigates YAF’s earliest “publicity” in National Review, an influential magazine, to understand part of what preceded conservatism’s evolution. Publishing “The Ivory Tower: Young Americans for Freedom” by William F. Buckley and the “Sharon Statement,” YAF’s manifesto, side-by-side formed a new identity—young conservative—that empowered activists. From Maurice Charland’s “constitutive rhetoric,” chapter two investigates Buckley’s telling of the past as …

Impacts Of Human Computer Interaction (Hci) On Translation In The Hospitality Industry, Ethan Fishbane

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

More than ever, globalization affects the hospitality industry with tremendous growth of international travelers—in the United States, inbound international visitation rose from around 25 million in 1985, to almost 67 million in 2012 (Mowforth & Munt, 2016). The concept of globalization, according to Robertson (1992), associates the integration and connectivity of culture and communities, while minimizing preformed boundaries. Half of all United States visitation comes from overseas travelers, with the largest share of foreign visitors coming from Japan, China, Brazil and South Korea (U.S. Travel Association, 2016). The United States predicts visitation from Brazil to increase by 70% from the …

Understanding Transitions Of Trust Across Different Business Contexts: An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study, Sungsik Yoon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Airbnb’s influence has been growing rapidly in the last few years, and hotel operators are beginning to recognize the competitive threat it poses. However, consumers may perceive Airbnb differently than hoteliers. Thus, the current study attempts to explore hotel customers’ perceptions of the sharing economy business (Airbnb). It is important to pay attention to the different business settings of the channels that currently exist in the lodging industry. Moreover, investigating the relationship between trust and perceived risk in this new channel (i.e., Airbnb) is crucial due to the inherent risk of transactions on Airbnb, especially when compared with traditional Business-to-customer. …

Broadcast News Directors' Perceptions Of Race: A Survey Of Psychological And Sociological Measures, Amaya Nichele Worthem

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Understanding the role of media in the lives of consumers has been a longstanding concern of various scholars. Although the news media do not tell consumers what to think explicitly, they do imply what consumers should think, via the contexts in which news is presented. The central thrust of this thesis is a psychological and sociological perception study of news directors’ implicit and explicit perceptions of race when creating news content. The aim is to discover whether an implicit or explicit racial bias can be found amongst some news directors when covering racial minority groups. A better understanding of bias …

Is There A Link Between Fantasy Sports Players And Sports Bettors?, Wayman Wittman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper will explore the consumer base playing fantasy sports and comparing it with the consumer base that is currently betting on sports. According to the Fantasy Sport Trade Association, (FSTA), there are an estimated 41 million people that actively participate in fantasy sports in the United States of America and Canada (Dwyer, Achen & Lupninek, 2016). The FSTA also estimated that $1 billion was spend directly on fantasy products with an additional $4 billion spent on related services such as media (Dwyer, et al., 2016). If there is a link between playing fantasy sports and sports betting, then being …

True-Self And The Uses And Gratifications Of Instagram Among College-Aged Females, Jocelyn Apodaca

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With more than 300 million daily users, Instagram has rapidly become one of the most widely used social networking apps worldwide. This study investigates relationships between motivations for using Instagram, whether users are portraying their true-selves and how their usage affects life satisfaction and well-being. A quantitative survey was used to collect data from 200 students at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas students. Participants were asked to provide answers regarding their habits for using Instagram, whether their online portrayal of self reflected their true self and determine overall life satisfaction. The motives studied in this research include: interpersonal …

High School Gardens Program Across The Nation: Current Practices, Perceived Benefits, Barriers, And Resources, Noehealani Cierra Bareng- Antolin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

School garden programs in the United States emerged near the end of the 19th century. The use and purpose of school gardens are multifaceted and is dependent on the school and individuals involved. Current research on school garden programs suggests positive benefits for student academic achievement, nutrition knowledge, and dietary behaviors. Research on school garden programs is predominately conducted at the elementary and middle school levels. High school garden programs do exist; however, there is limited research on the current practices, perceived benefits of, barriers to, and resources necessary for high school garden programs. The purpose of this study was …

Jornaleros Engaged In A Multidimensional Struggle: A Critical Ethnography With Day Laborers In Las Vegas, Jorge Adrian Castrejon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Day labor work has spread across the entire Unite States as part of the secondary labor market, or as Cherrie Moraga describes it- survival work. Day laborers in Las Vegas, Nevada have become a significant part of this trend in the Southwest, where the highest rate of day laborers work, and for which little community and scholarly work has been produced. The National Day Labor Survey, the most comprehensive study with day laborers, reports that the day labor market is rife with abuse and violations of worker rights. But, the exploitation of this predominantly migrant workforce would not be possible …

Volunteer Management In Faith-Based Organizations, Cheryl Regina Coleman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) rely heavily on volunteers to carry out their mission, making volunteer labor fundamental to an organization’s business operations and outcomes. A review of the literature revealed a significant gap in managing volunteers effectively in a nonprofit, faith- based setting. The standard business management practices typically employed when managing volunteers lack effectiveness in nonprofit FBO environments. Employing for-profit management practices to managing volunteer labor in nonprofit settings is especially challenging given the uniqueness of nonprofit organizations that rely on volunteer over paid labor. Challenges include the organization’s values, mission, identity, social goals, outcomes, and ideological characteristics. The purpose …

Understanding College Preparedness Of First-Semester College Students, Kimberly Marie Florence

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The college preparedness of first-year, first-semester, undergraduate students was researched and analyzed in this study. The research entailed a purposeful selection of 10 first-year, first-semester, undergraduate student participants that transitioned into a four-year public university, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), from a Nevada public high school. Participants who graduated from a Nevada public high school were chosen because Nevada exhibits low-performing K-12 public education trends. Using qualitative methods (i.e., a phenomenological approach), students were interviewed using semi-structured and open-ended interview questions. The interviews were used to ascertain student participants’ perceptions of their academic lived experiences transitioning from high school …

The Implementation Gap Between Evidence-Based Guidelines And Primary Care Providers' Provision Of Care For Adult Obese Individuals, Linda Ailene Hagemann

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Adult obesity has become a significant problem in the United States. To reduce health consequences and the rising cost of obesity, evidence-based guidelines to identify and treat obesity are available to primary care providers (PCPs). Despite literature supporting favorable outcomes by PCPs who address obesity at a patient's visit, studies indicate obesity counseling is occurring infrequently, particularly in military primary care settings.

Guided by the Diffusion of Innovations Theory, this research utilization project evaluated whether there is an implementation gap between use of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) Clinical Practice Guideline for Screening and …

The Nature And Extent Of Instructors’ Use Of Learning Analytics In Higher Education To Inform Teaching And Learning, Janet L. King

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The utilization of learning analytics to support teaching and learning has emerged as a newer phenomenon combining instructor-oriented action research, the mining of educational data, and the analyses of statistics and patterns. Learning analytics have documented, quantified and graphically displayed students’ interactions, engagement, and performance to gain a more complex understanding of teaching and learning. Researchers and scholars have hailed learning analytics as one of the future game-changers in higher education. This study addressed important questions. How have instructors at institutions of higher learning explored learning analytics to reflect upon their teaching practice—specifically, curriculum, pedagogy, student learning and outcomes? What …

Obligations Of The State: State Behavior And The Occurrence Of State Success, Brendan Mark Morris

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The start of the twenty-first century has coincided with the emergence of the concept of state failure as a major humanitarian and security concern. While the occurrence of state failure has received much attention, there has been little agreement on the actual definition and conceptualization of state failure. This study intends to aid in the improvement on the discourse of state failure by providing a new approach on failed states that analyzes shifts in state fragility. In this new approach, this study focuses on the occurrence of state success and explain how states succeed by focusing on the fulfillment of …

An Analysis Of Stress And Self-Efficacy Experienced By General And Special Educators, Joanne Lyn Ringer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Public education and teachers are under considerable scrutiny (Gibboney, 2008). With

the inception of local, state, and national demands being placed on education, teachers are faced

with many challenges (Eppley, 2015). Educational accountability measures have grown out of

the political pressures impacting educational policies (Gibboney, 2008). There is much debate

regarding whom teachers are accountable to and what they are accountable for (Ornstein, 1986;

McDermott, 2011). This scrutiny increases a teacher’s level of perceived stress.

Stress and perceptions of stress differ from person to person, making it conditional and

highly personal (Fimian, 2001; Jary, 2006). Although stress has been an …

De-Colonizing Language Needs: A Critical Ethnographic Study Of Former And Current Teachers’ Language Dispositions And How Taking A Multicultural Education Course Mediates Those Dispositions, Ravijot Singh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this critical ethnographic research was to examine how taking a Multicultural Education course mediated teachers’ language dispositions. Particularly, this study examined how language and culture have a profound connection that is largely unrecognized in the American education system, and how lack of respect for the home language of students by their teachers leads to negative attitudes towards the children and impedes students’ academic progress.

This study used a theoretical and conceptual framework that incorporate intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1991) as its research paradigm to understand the interaction and overlapping roles of language and culture in society, and how neoliberal …

Broadcast News Directors’ Perceptions Of Race: A Survey Of Psychological And Sociological Measures, Amaya Worthem

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

In theory, socially responsible newsrooms should accurately cover and portray all of America’s distinct communities. However, mechanisms to achieve coverage of all communities have often fallen short. Often times, racial minority groups are depicted utilizing stereotypes, controversy, crime, drama, conflict, and deviancy as the greatest selling and focal points. This study attempted to “empirically examine that which is deliberately concealed and distorted,” and to document whether discrimination: 1) exists 2) adversely affects ethnic and racial minorities; and 3) is founded on a set of social relations and practices that sustain it” (Marvasti& McKinney, 2007, p. 68).

Thus, the central thrust …

Exploring The Life Course Perspective In Maternal And Child Health Through Community-Based Participatory Focus Groups: Social Risks Assessment, Abraham Salinas-Miranda, Lindsey M. King, Hamisu M. Salihu, Estrellita "Lo" Berry, Deborah Austin, Susan Nash, Kenneth Scarborough, Evangeline Best, Lillian Cox, Georgette King, Carrie Hepburn, Conchita Burpee, Eugene Richardson, Marlo Ducket, Richard Briscoe, Julie Baldwin

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Little is known about the patterns of risk factors experienced by communities of color and how diverse community contexts shape the health trajectory of women from the early childhood period to the time of their pregnancies. Thus, we conducted a focus group study to identify social risks over the life course that contribute to maternal and child health from the perspective of community members residing in low income urban areas.

Ten community-based participatory focus groups were conducted with residents from selected communities in Tampa, Florida, from September to November 2013. We used the life course perspective to illuminate and explain …

Gender And Racial/Ethnic Disparities: Cumulative Screening Of Health Risk Indicators In 20-50 Year Olds In The United States, Alissa Cordner, Adrien A. Wilkie, Timothy J. Wade, Edward E. Hudgens, Rebecca J. Birch, Jane E. Gallagher

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This study explored potential gender and racial/ethnic disparities in overall health risk related to 24 health risk indicators selected across six domains: socioeconomic, health status and health care, lifestyle, nutritional, clinical, and environmental. Using the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), it evaluated cross-sectional data for 5,024 adults in the United States. Logistic regression models were developed to estimate prevalence odds ratios (PORs) adjusted for smoking, health insurance status, and age. Analyses evaluated disparities associated with 24 indicator variables of health risk, comparing females to males and four racial/ethnic groups to non-Hispanic Whites. Non-Hispanic Blacks and Mexican Americans …

A Comparative Analysis Of Pregnancy Outcomes For Women With And Without Disabilities, Ari K. Mwachofi

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

In 2010 in the US, there were 4.7 million childbearing age (15-44 years) women with disabilities (WWD) defined as, being limited in any way in any activities because of physical, mental, or emotional problems. Although their proportion and pregnancy rates are growing, there is little empirical evidence about their health, healthcare needs, pregnancy experiences and outcomes. We examined differences and predictors of pregnancy outcomes for women with and without disabilities. We used 2009 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data from 15,585 Massachusetts and Rhode Island women. We conducted χ²- and t –tests of pregnancy outcome …

Unlv Magazine, Len Jessup, Diane Russell, Jason Scavone, Brian Sodoma, Keyonna Summers, R. Marsh Starks, Pashtana Usufzy, Deana Waddell, Cate Weeks, T. R. Witcher

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Geographical Proximity Is Not Enough: How Culture Shaped Placement, Spatiality, And The Outcomes Of The Arab Spring’S Uprisings., Olesya Venger

Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies Faculty Research

This paper investigates the phenomenon of the Arab Spring against the background of cultural traditions and attitudes that sustained these protests and carried them across borders of more than twenty countries in the Middle East in a move of cultural contagion of conflict (Gelfand et al. 2012). Tracing the placement and spatiality of the Arab Spring uprisings, their media and ideascapes (Appadurai 1990), this paper draws upon theoretical frameworks of Homi Bhabha’s (2004) third space, Margaret Kuhn’s (2003) radical space, and Geert Hofstede’s (2014) cultural indicators. Given the information about self-immolations as the events that stirred the uprisings in the …

A Comparison Of Mothers And Childfree Women On The Common Characteristics Of Romantic Love, Shelly Volsche

Anthropology Faculty Research

Since 2009, de Munck, Korotayev, and Khaltourina’s pioneering survey has been used to investigate the cognitive qualities of love across cultures, including Russia, Lithuania, the United States, and China. To date, this survey has not been used to probe these values at a subcultural level. Mothers and childfree women were surveyed with an expanded version of the original survey designed to target potential variations in ideology based upon parental status. Both mothers and childfree women reportedly adhere to the cultural norms of romantic love previously found in the United States, but childfree women were more likely to value pragmatic characteristics …

Digging In The Mines: Mining Course Syllabi In Search Of The Library, Keven M. Jeffery, Kathryn M. Houk, Jordan M. Nielsen, Jenny M. Wong-Welch

Library Faculty Research

Objective - The purpose of this study was to analyze a syllabus collection at a large, public university to identify how the university’s library was represented within the syllabi. Specifically, this study was conducted to see which library spaces, resources, and people were included in course syllabi and to identify possible opportunities for library engagement. Methods - A text analysis software called QDA Miner was used to search using keywords and analyze 1,226 syllabi across eight colleges at both the undergraduate and graduate levels from the Fall 2014 semester. Results - Of the 1,226 syllabi analyzed, 665 did not mention …

Rethinking Cooperative Extension In Southern Nevada, David F. Damore, Robert E. Lang, Fatma Nasoz, William E. Brown, Jr., Caitlin J. Saladino

Lincy Institute Reports and Briefs

Cooperative Extension is a partnership funded by federal, state, and county governments that extends University of Nevada services to Nevadans. As the original branch of Nevada’s land-grant institution, the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) has administered Cooperative Extension Service (CES) since the program’s inception over a century ago. However, as currently organized, CES has limited presence in Southern Nevada and it has not developed programming commensurate with Clark County’s tax contribution to the CES budget. We propose that CES in Southern Nevada be managed by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). As we show, UNLV is already the most …

The Relationship Of Education And Acculturation With Vigorous Intensity Leisure Time Physical Activity By Gender In Latinos, Erick B. Lopez, Takashi Yamashita

Sociology Faculty Research

Objectives: Latinos have poorer health outcomes among certain conditions (e.g. diabetes, obesity, mental health) compared to non-Latino Whites in the U.S., in part due to difference in the amount of physical activity, which are heavily influenced by sociocultural factors such as educational attainment and acculturation. Vigorous-intensity leisure time physical activity (VLTPA) may provide health benefits with a shorter amount of time than moderate-to-light physical activity. However, VLTPA has been significantly understudied compared to LTPA in general. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between educational attainment, acculturation, and VLTPA by gender among Latino adults in the U.S. …

Of The Rat Pack, Ashtrays, Cocktail Napkins, And Grateful Losers: The Making Of The Las Vegas Experience As A Historical Process In The 20th Century, Paul Franke

Occasional Papers

This paper explores how Las Vegas casino executives have successfully produced a unique gaming experience. From the 1950s onwards they were able to use architecture, entertainment and business practices to link games of chance with a specific consumption experience for players. It will examine what sets the Las Vegas consumption experience apart from other gaming locations, what it consisted of, and how it was produced by the casinos. It also investigates how people between the 1950s and 1980s perceived and consumed the Las Vegas experience. Drawing from these observations the paper argues that the special of Las Vegas in gaming …

The Psychometrics Of The Mini-K: Evidence From Two College Samples, George B. Richardson, Ching-Chen Chen, Chia-Liang Dai, Michael D. Brubaker, Joseph L. Nedelec

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research

Many published studies have employed the Mini-K to measure a single fast-slow life history dimension. However, the internal structure of the Mini-K has not been determined and it is not clear that a single higher order K-factor fits the data. It is also not clear that the Mini-K is measurement invariant across groups such as the sexes. To establish the construct validity of K as well as the broader usefulness of applying life history theory to humans, it is crucial that these psychometric issues are addressed as a part of measure validation efforts. Here we report on three studies that …

Unlv's Best Teaching Practices Expo 2017, Mary-Ann Winkelmes

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The first of its kind at UNLV, the Best Teaching Practices Expo highlights great ideas from UNLV's teaching community.