Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Single-Session Practice Structure On Motor Skill Acquisition And Alpha And Beta Eeg Oscillations, Aubrey Porter, Ronald Victor Croce, Wayne Smith

Faculty Publications

Background: Although it is known that practicing a motor skill updates the associated internal model, it is still unclear as to how cortical oscillations linked with the motor skill change under differing practice schedules. The current study investigated α- and β-power changes associated with motor skill acquisition. Objectives: Firstly, we investigated the behavioral effects of practice on motor learning and retention during repetitive (RP) and variable (VP) practice schedules on an anticipation timing task. Secondly, we investigated changes in cortical α (10 - 13 Hz) and β (15 - 30 Hz) event-related synchronization and desynchronization (ERS/ERD) under RP and VP …

Effects Of Single-Session Practice Structure On Motor Skill Acquisition And Alpha And Beta Eeg Oscillations, Aubrey Porter, Ronald Victor Croce, Wayne Smith

Faculty Publications

Background: Although it is known that practicing a motor skill updates the associated internal model, it is still unclear as to how cortical oscillations linked with the motor skill change under differing practice schedules. The current study investigated α- and β-power changes associated with motor skill acquisition. Objectives: Firstly, we investigated the behavioral effects of practice on motor learning and retention during repetitive (RP) and variable (VP) practice schedules on an anticipation timing task. Secondly, we investigated changes in cortical α (10 - 13 Hz) and β (15 - 30 Hz) event-related synchronization and desynchronization (ERS/ERD) under RP and VP …

Major Reform With Minor Risk: Implementation Of Change Initiatives As A Learning Challenge, Sara J. Berman, Chance Meyer

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

The call for change in legal education has been loud and clear for more than a century. Despite some resistance among powerholders who benefit from status quo, faculty and administrators across the country work earnestly to solve problems, improve learning, and promote equity. Yet time and again, initiatives are logjammed, shot down as unworkable, misimplemented, or abandoned prematurely when they do not meet unrealistically high expectations for immediate, dramatic results. This article builds on the premises that (1) change is needed, (2) a wide range of sound change ideas for reform and progress are available, and (3) effective implementation of …

Unh: The Magazine Of The University Of New Hampshire, Summer 2024, Unh Magazine

UNH Magazine

No abstract provided.

Criminal Legal Reform In New Hampshire: One Law Professor's Activism, Albert E. Scherr

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

Criminal legal reform is a perpetual work in progress. The system itself is, at best, maddeningly imperfect. It too often fails to produce anything close to justice. Structural problems afflict the system in a way that incarcerates too many people, particularly people of color. For example, over the last thirty years, the Innocence Project has demonstrated imperfections in the system caused by faulty eyewitness identification procedures by ineffective assistance of counsel, by prosecutorial misconduct, by shoddy forensic practices and by police behavior that produced false confessions.

That the United States has well over fifty-one independent criminal legal systems frustrates efforts …

Bridging The Paradigmatic Crevasse Between Lawyers And Scientists: The Need For New Institutional Models, Stanley P. Kowalski, Stanley Kowalski

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

The professions of science and law have traditionally been siloed paradigms, operating often in tandem with each other but rarely intersecting in the interdisciplinary pasture which separates them, a pasture from which an abundance of synergistic collaboration and ensuing creative concepts might sprout. However, the erstwhile never the twain shall meet situation is neither realistic nor even tenable in the current century, a century increasingly dominated by science, technology, invention, innovation, and intellectual property. Simply put, whereas lawyers are risk averse and build constructed realities to argue points and serve clients, scientists seek an objective assessment of truth and accept …

Narrative Analysis In Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease Following Intensive Voice Treatment: Secondary Outcome Variables From A Randomized Controlled Trial, Amy E. Ramage, Kathryn J. Greenslade, Kaila Cote, Jessica N. Lee, Cynthia M. Fox, Angela Halpern, Lorraine O. Ramig

Faculty Publications

Communication is often impaired in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD), typically secondary to sensorimotor deficits impacting voice and speech. Language may also be diminished in PD, particularly for production and comprehension of verbs. Evidence exists that verb processing is influenced by motor system modulation suggesting that verb deficits in PD are underpinned by similarities in the neural representations of actions that span motor and semantic systems. Conversely, subtle differences in cognition in PD may explain difficulty in processing of complex syntactic forms, which increases cognitive demand and is linked to verb use. Here we investigated whether optimizing motor system support …

Executive Gender And Capital Structure: New Evidence From Rebalancing Events, Karolina Krystyniak, Viktoriya Staneva

Faculty Publications

Existing literature shows that female-led companies exhibit lower leverage compared to their male-led counterparts, a trend frequently attributed to the traditional view of higher risk aversion among women. We explore firms with female CFOs at or close to their optimal leverage and find that their capital structure is no different than that of firms with male CFOs. We argue that female CFOs reveal their true preferences and risk appetite during significant capital structure adjustments and find that their tolerance for risk aligns closely with that of their male counterparts. Our study challenges the conventional narrative by demonstrating that the financing …

Executive Gender And Capital Structure: New Evidence From Rebalancing Events, Karolina Krystyniak, Viktoriya Staneva

Faculty Publications

Existing literature shows that female-led companies exhibit lower leverage compared to their male-led counterparts, a trend frequently attributed to the traditional view of higher risk aversion among women. We explore firms with female CFOs at or close to their optimal leverage and find that their capital structure is no different than that of firms with male CFOs. We argue that female CFOs reveal their true preferences and risk appetite during significant capital structure adjustments and find that their tolerance for risk aligns closely with that of their male counterparts. Our study challenges the conventional narrative by demonstrating that the financing …

Faculty Spotlight: Jennifer Chadbourne, Sarah Schaier

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Unh Students Tackle Sustainability Issues At Undergraduate Research Conference, Sustainability Institute

Sustainability Institute Blog

No abstract provided.

Workplace Wellness: Assessing Organizational Return On Investment, Tami J. Provost

M.S. in Leadership

This study examines the monetary and non-monetary return on investment (ROI) for organizations that invest in workplace wellness programs. This research is essential for understanding the impact workplace wellness programs can have on employee health and wellness, employee satisfaction and engagement, and healthcare costs for both employees and employers. Armed with this knowledge, business leaders can strategically decide on wellness initiatives, considering their potential effect on both employee well-being and organizational objectives. This research project confirms a strong connection between workplace wellness programs and the validation for organizations to invest in these programs. Furthermore, this review provides an overview of …

The Importance Of Intergenerational Leadership In Organizations, Kelta Tabaku Ms.

M.S. in Leadership

Abstract

This study delved into the details of leadership within intergenerational settings, spotlighting the pivotal role of effective communication and cultural comprehension. It underscores how intergenerational leadership shapes organizational dynamics, necessitating innovative methods and meticulous succession planning. The research emphasizes the imperative of acknowledging each generation's distinct contributions and the deployment of leadership training and mentorship initiatives to cultivate inclusive leadership spanning generations. This capstone research thesis aims to explore the challenges in executing effective intergenerational leadership practices in contemporary organizations, potentially uncovering issues like communication barriers, change resistance, or generational misunderstandings. The hypothesis posits that adeptly implemented intergenerational leadership …

What Stories Do Rural Youth Tell About Future Orientation In Their Communities? Implications For Rural Positive Youth Development, Hannah Joy Falcone

Master's Theses and Capstones

It is a tale as old as time; rural youth have a well-developed pattern of outmigration from their hometowns, largely driven by aspirations of achieving education or specialized career opportunities available elsewhere. This qualitative study explores the positive youth development (PYD) experiences of youth living in rural, northern New England communities, including how interactions with rural school, community and work engagement, and experiences out in nature are described as important in future orientation in rural spaces. Virtual interviews were conducted with 18 youth (ages 14-19). Qualitative themes were developed through an inductive coding strategy, alongside a deductive structured coding strategy …

The Evolution Of Aces As A Mitigating Factor In Criminal Cases, Tamara Olson

Master's Theses and Capstones

The present study looked into how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) affect childhood development and lead to potential criminal behavior. It also looked into how this psychological theory can be used as a legal defense. By examining previous research on the topic and studying criminal cases in which ACEs were used as a mitigating factor in the criminal act, the study attempted to investigate the connection between this psychological theory and its being used as a mitigating factor in criminal defense. The research questions for this study are: (1) to what degree are ACEs successful, (2) what are the qualities of …

What “Doing The Work” Is Taken To Mean: Higher Education Faculty’S Conceptualizations Of Deij Work, Denise Susanne Desrosiers

Doctoral Dissertations

Many U.S. higher education institutions invest significantly in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ)-oriented professional development (PD) to help faculty develop knowledge and skills for serving diverse student populations. However, evidence is mixed regarding the effectiveness of DEIJ PD in helping institutions make progress on educational equity issues. Little is known about why DEIJ PD efforts may not have the desired effects. This study examines one potential answer to this question, interrogating the role of “Therapeutics” in DEIJ learning experiences, a Western cultural pattern that emphasizes self-reflection and attention to individual dispositions and emotions, as opposed to community orientations. Thirty-two …

A Simultaneous Test Of Explanatory Accounts Of The Reminiscence Bump Using Emotional Cueing And The Life History Timeline Method, Caglayan Ozdemir

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the reminiscence bump phenomenon through an investigation of four theoretical accounts—cognitive, identity formation, cultural life scripts, and life stories. Through a novel combination of the life history timeline method and emotional cueing technique, factors proposed to explain the reminiscence bump—such as novelty, identity-relevance, commonality, and perceived-control of personal event memories—were directly measured across three life periods (Pre-Reminiscence Bump, Reminiscence Bump, Post-Reminiscence Bump). Findings indicate partial support for each account to varying degrees, with the life stories account demonstrating the strongest empirical evidence relative to the other accounts. Most factors were able to differentiate the reminiscence bump from …

A Qualitative Study Of East Asian College Students' Perspectives On Family Messages About Education And Relations With Culture, Ethnic Identity, And Generational Status, Minori Haga Stefon

Doctoral Dissertations

As ethnic Asians become a more prominent group in American life, some scholars have focused on exploring both the roles of ethnic Asians in American society and culture, and of how American society and culture impact and transform their lives. This study seeks to understand the types of messages that ethnic East Asian college students studying in the United States report receiving from their parents and other family members about academic success and their college education. It also seeks to understand if and how messages about ethnic identity (being Asian) and immigration timing get integrated into the students’ perceptions of …

The Splintered Man: Masculine Responses To Feminism In 20th Century Fiction, Jess Flarity

Doctoral Dissertations

Splintered masculinity is a pattern of behaviors where men engage with the rhetoric of feminism and gender equality for their own benefit rather than as an authentic commitment to advancing women’s rights. This dissertation tracks the emergence of the “splintered man,” or s-man, from 1915 to 1982 in mainstream literary fiction along with science fiction to demonstrate how this identity crosses cultural and socioeconomic barriers to uphold principles related to hegemonic masculinity. Three kinds of s-men emerged within Modernism: the anti-human s-man, the self-aggrandizing s-man, and the confused/conflicted s-man, each with different traits regarding their goals in engaging with feminism. …

The Dynamic Measure Of Health Goals, Goal Achievement, And Who Succeeds At Their Goals, Hannah Lightcap

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is divided into four parts. Part 1 includes the introduction to the dissertation. Part 2 describes the first study of the dissertation, the Goal Measurement study. This focuses on the development and evaluation of the Health Goals and Achievement Surveys; a survey measuring and evaluating health goals and their achievement. The Goal Measurement Study also offers validity information and reports the relationships between various personality traits and health goal achievement. Part 3 describes the second study of the dissertation, the Personality Predictors and Social Support Study which examines multiple psycho-social predictors of health goal achievement. Part 4 is …

Exploring The Role Of Recreation In Rural Nh Youth's Engagement With Master Narratives, Katelyn A. Moscouver

Master's Theses and Capstones

Rural youth often feel compelled to leave their home communities to seek new opportunities, especially at the secondary-postsecondary educational transition. These decisions are driven in part by perceived developmental imperatives to leave rural hometowns given messages that success is best achieved elsewhere. The present study used the framework of identity master narratives to explore recreation's role in facilitating youth postsecondary planning in rural northeastern state of New Hampshire. The study extends and deepens prior research seeking to understand some of the structural-psychological factors connecting recreation involvement in adolescence, postsecondary decision making, and broader demographic patterns among the 15-19 and 20-24 …

Representation And The Achievement Gap: A Case For Prioritizing Cultural Sameness In The Classroom, Taryn J. Fears

M.S. in Leadership

Abstract

This study examined the impact of cultural representation on achievement for minority students academically and socially across diverse contexts. Recognizing the importance of cultural diversity in educational and youth mentoring settings, this research explores how the representation of various cultural identities, including race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status, influences student achievement outcomes. Coming from a background in community based nonprofit organizations, I have seen how black and brown students respond in classroom and out-of-school time settings when having come in contact with teachers and mentors of similar culture. Having a teacher and/or mentor of a similar culture creates pathways …

Characterizing Modality And Cognitive Effects In Implicit-Statistical Learning: Theoretical Implications For Language Learning In Adults, Katelyn Lerner

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study examined the presence of modality and cognitive effects within implicit statistical learning (ISL) to characterize how it operates within the context of language learning. The first research aim looked to investigate differences in ISL performance as it relates to modality, specifically auditory versus visual formats. Additionally, the relationship between cognitive measures and ISL task performance was investigated to characterize potential interactions between learning and cognition. In this study healthy adults between the ages of 18-35 were administered auditory and visual ISL experimental tasks. Participants were familiarized with a target grammar pattern in an exposure phase. After the exposure …

Yoga And Advaita Vedanta: A Study Comparing The Ontological And Epistemological Foundations Of Two Astika Schools Of Indian Philosophy, Devkamal Dutta

Master's Theses and Capstones

The central aim of this thesis was to examine the ontological and epistemological foundations of two schools of Indian philosophy – the Yoga School and the Advaita Vedanta School, in order to understand their points of convergence as well as divergence. I engaged in this inquiry by studying sutras from one foundational text of each school: Patanjali’s Yogasutras and Adi Shankaracharya’s Atmabodha, and by subjecting the sutras to scrutiny, to understand each school’s ontological and epistemological foundations. To do so, I chose the Triputi Framework, which is an ontological-epistemological framework from a third school of Indian philosophy, the Mimansa School. …

Investigating The Role Of Bias In Sustained Attention And Inhibition In Individuals With Concussion, Kaitlyn Lane O'Connor

Master's Theses and Capstones

It is estimated that approximately 15% of individuals who suffer a concussion experience cognitive impairments that can persist and cause long-term consequences (Post-Concussion Syndrome, 2023). This study builds on previous research on concussion, sustained attention, and inhibitory control to further characterize the mechanisms at work in post-concussion cognitive dysfunction (Moore et al., 2014; Ramage & Robin, 2019; Robin et al., 1999). Sustained attention was measured with a psychomotor vigilance task (Starry Night); inhibitory control was measured with the Flanker and Dimensional Change Card Sort tasks. The current study aims were developed to fill a gap in understanding regarding the potential …

Assessing Visitor Preferences For Reservation Systems In Parks And Protected Areas: Insights From The Green Mountain National Forest, Ridgley Jordan Ward

Master's Theses and Capstones

The use of reservation systems in parks and protected areas has recently increased across the United States, influenced by factors such as carrying capacity and social distancing measures during COVID-19. This study employs stated choice modeling to examine visitor preferences for reservation systems at the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont, USA, using a combined mail-back and online survey approach (n=629) during the summer of 2023. Our analysis focused on several key factors: ecological integrity, permit acquisition, crowding, parking wait times, and price. Findings reveal that ecological impacts, such as visible signs of litter or vegetative damage, significantly influenced visitor …

Harnessing Eye And Face Movements: Bridging Technology And Human Interaction, Daniel Rubin

Master's Theses and Capstones

AbstractThe profound impact of non-verbal communication in the realms of psychology, virtual reality (VR), and automated systems; underscores, a critical inquiry: How can we effectively interpret and utilize non-verbal cues; for example, eye and head movements, to address current limitations in technology and ethics across various applications? This thesis explores the potential of eye and head movement techniques, as a transformative tool in enhancing diagnostic accuracy, user interaction, and ethical compliance in these fields. One significant contribution of my research is the identification and implementation methods of non-invasive diagnostic tools, in healthcare. Through, the advanced analysis of eye and head …

Can Listeners Differentiate Varieties Using Prosodic Information? Lect Identification In A Persona-Matching Task, Nicole Holliday, Rachel Steindel Burdin, Paul Reed

Faculty Publications

Sociolinguists and lay people have long been interested in the mechanisms by which dialect and speaker identification occur. The current study aims to test whether realizational differences found in production studies are salient factors in identification of different lects, as well as to examine differences between groups in identification. In this study, listeners were instructed to match clips containing H* and L+H* pitch accents with specific personae who represented speakers of five lects of interest (African American English, Jewish English, Appalachian English, Southern English, and Midwestern English). Listeners from different groups (Appalachian, African American, Jewish, and those who were not …

Can Listeners Differentiate Varieties Using Prosodic Information? Lect Identification In A Persona-Matching Task, Nicole Holliday, Rachel Steindel Burdin, Paul Reed

Faculty Publications

Sociolinguists and lay people have long been interested in the mechanisms by which dialect and speaker identification occur. The current study aims to test whether realizational differences found in production studies are salient factors in identification of different lects, as well as to examine differences between groups in identification. In this study, listeners were instructed to match clips containing H* and L+H* pitch accents with specific personae who represented speakers of five lects of interest (African American English, Jewish English, Appalachian English, Southern English, and Midwestern English). Listeners from different groups (Appalachian, African American, Jewish, and those who were not …

Research Finds Pronoun Use Not Only Shaped By Language But Also Beliefs, Robbin Ray

Media Relations

No abstract provided.