Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of Deep Learning Silhouette Extractors For Gait Recognition, Sneha Oladhri

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gait recognition has gained importance in biometrics for identifying a person. It is performed by analyzing the gait features extracted from a video of a walking person. Gait features can be represented using silhouettes, pose elements, 3d human body features, or the combination of any of the above features. Most gait recognition algorithms use silhouette data for modeling. Therefore the quality of the silhouettes is crucial for achieving better recognition results. Many previous works have used the silhouettes given with the dataset for developing a gait model. In this work, we will test the performance of different background subtraction algorithms …

Perceptions Of Workplace Discrimination: A Closer Look, Jeremiah Doaty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research operationalized perceptions of workplace discrimination (PWD) as a multidimensional construct and examined relationships between different types of PWD (subtle, interpersonal, and formal discrimination) and potential antecedent variables. Furthermore, this research investigated whether different types of PWD related to job attitude variables differently across different demographic groups (race, sex, and age). Participants of this study consisted of 1,610 employees from multiple southeastern public universities. Results from this study found that psychological diversity climate had the strongest relationship to the different dimensions of PWD, followed by hostile attribution bias and perceived group dissimilarity. Blacks and Black females reported the most …

Do Sociability Expectancies Moderate Social Anxiety Predicting Alcohol Consumption Following A Social Stressor Speech Task, Jacob A. Levine

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) are two of the most common and chronic psychiatric conditions in the United States. Research indicates individuals with SAD are more likely to meet lifetime criteria for AUD and experience greater AUD symptomatology and severity. Theories explaining this connection are limited, with most built upon tension reduction principles not specific to SAD; however, a recent biopsychosocial model focuses on factors specific to SAD, such as drinking to cope with states of high negative affectivity and arousal. Despite high rates of comorbidity, and more severe AUD presentation, the literature is mixed regarding …

African American Males' Perception Of Factors That Contribute To Success In Higher Education, Gary D. Oliver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decades, many studies have concluded that African American students' college completion rate and success lag far behind other students attending college in the United States (The JBHE Foundation, Inc., 2006). More specifically, these studies have confirmed that African American male students' success rates remain disproportionally low compared to other ethnic male groups. Unfortunately, few notable studies identifying African American males achieving higher education or completing their academic pursuits have been presented as part of the Black male student narrative.

This study aimed to understand better the resources and experiences that positively affect African American males who completed …

Communicating Breast Cancer Awareness: Using The Health Belief Model To Develop Mass Communication Themes To Influence Early Detection Behaviors, Srisai Kamakshi Ramya Harika Pucha

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer (BC) is the most fatal cancer in India and has affected more than 1.3 million people in the year 2020 alone, making it a national public health priority. The reason for this alarming increase in BC incidences and mortality rates stems from a severe lack of awareness and the absence of targeted interventions. Considering the absence of a national level breast cancer awareness program, the following study sought to understand Indian women’s preconceived notions about the disease and the available screening methods to contribute to future mass communication campaigns in India. The study used a pre-designed interview guide …

Evaluation Of Response Modality In Online Discussion Boards, Tatiyanna A. Dunn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since 2020, over 3 million students have enrolled in a postsecondary distance learning course (National Center for Education Statistics, 2020). One challenge in distant learning is fostering student engagement. Student engagement is a broad construct that refers to increasing contact between three pillars of education. Students, teachers, and course material. Past research has shown increasing engagement leads to improved student performance and instructor evaluations. Unsurprisingly, promoting student engagement is desirable for both students and instructors (Cobb, 2009). Discussion boards allow student engagement between themselves and Instructors while knowledge can still be tested. Few studies have evaluated the modality of student …

Exploring Parenthood And The Influence Of Lived Experiences On Parenting Behaviors Among Child Welfare-Involved Adults, Veronica Howell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The World Health Organization asserts the healthy development of children is essential. Cases of violence and maltreatment impede the development of children worldwide. Six in 10 adults in the general US population have reported at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), while vulnerable populations, including child welfare-involved adults (i.e., parents and caregivers), often report more. This history is associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates alongside higher economic costs; therefore, preventing ACEs and promoting safe, stable, and nurturing relationships between parents and children is critical. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to understand the meanings and responsibilities associated …

Educating Culturally Relevant Leaders: Experiences In Leadership Identity, Capacity, And Efficacy Development In College Students, Ana C. Maia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation study explored meaningful experiences contributing to students’ identity, capacity, and efficacy development as culturally relevant leaders. In Chapter One, I detailed the importance and relevance of this topic in the field of higher education. Then, I reviewed the literature on college student leadership development; defined leadership identity, capacity, and efficacy development; and culturally relevant leadership learning (CRLL; Bertrand Jones et al., 2016). In the third chapter, I described the qualitative methodological approach to uncovering how college students develop leadership identity, capacity, and efficacy to engage in culturally relevant leadership. I approached this study from a critical constructivist paradigm. …

Measurement In Chemistry, Mathematics, And Physics Education: Student Explanations Of Organic Chemistry Reaction Mechanisms And Instructional Practices In Introductory Courses, Brandon J. Yik

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The work in this dissertation is presented in two parts. The first part (Chapters 3 and 4) details work relating to students’ explanations of reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry. The second part (Chapters 5 and 6) details work relating to the evaluating the uptake of research-based instructional practices in introductory chemistry, mathematics, and physics courses.

To evaluate learning of organic chemistry reactions, instructors must ask students to construct written explanations of reaction mechanisms. Written assessments should focus on what is happening and why it is happening to promote deeper student understanding. However, for instructors to gain insight into students’ understanding, …

An Object For Sexual Pleasure: Does Viewing Sexualized Media Predict Increases In Self And Partner Objectification Impacting Feelings Of Sexual And Romantic Closeness?, Kaitlyn Ligman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Exposure to sexually objectifying media has been linked to the objectification of the self and of one’s romantic partner (e.g., partner-objectification); yet the implications of this for romantic relationships have remained relatively unexamined. There is, however, reason to suspect that exposure to sexually objectifying media and engaging in objectification may have implications for romantic couples. When a woman frequently monitors her appearance this may undermine her ability to sexually connect with her partner and when a man views his partner as an object for sexual pleasure it may impede his ability to develop intimate feelings of relational closeness to his …

Deceptive Appeals And Cognitive Influences Used In Fraudulent Scheme Sales Pitches, Rafael J. Toledo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fraud schemes exploit the complex interplay that results from utilizing deceptive appeals to activate underlying cognitive influences. This study was designed, first, to identify the deceptive appeals present in the messaging of fraudulent schemes and, second, to identify the underlying cognitive influences being exploited by the deceptive appeals utilized. Findings reveal that effectively used deceptive appeals work to keep viewers’ mental processes in a state of cognitive ease. This state allows cognitive influences--such as heuristics, cognitive biases, and the System 1 mind--to remain in control of mental processing; however, System 1 is prone to accept deceptive beliefs. The results of …

College Students’ Numeracy Events In Discussing Public Issues, Samuel L. Tunstall

Numeracy

An important consideration in the design and development of numeracy-focused coursework is ensuring that one meets students where they are with respect to both their mathematics background and their existing numeracy practices in relation to public issues. The latter consideration is especially important, given that students already think about such issues in their daily lives, long before we use them as a means for motivating quantitative exploration in the classroom. In this article, I report on a qualitative study of eight college students’ numeracy events—that is, events mediated in some way by quantification–when reasoning in focus groups with three distinct …

Notas Sobre Borges, Utopía Y Ciencia Ficción Para Una Relectura De “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius”, Alberto Del Pozo

Alambique. Revista académica de ciencia ficción y fantasía / Jornal acadêmico de ficção científica e fantasía

El articulo resume las aproximaciones bibliograficas que se han generado dentro y fuera de la academia en torno a la relacion de Borges, la ciencia ficcion, y la idea de utopia y distopia. Refectando esas visiones entre ellas, se propone una relectura de “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius” que vaya mas alla de una mera vision "distopica" o critica con movimientos ideologicos "totalitarios", para entatizar los elementos formales, genealogicos y de proyeccion hacia el tuturo que convierten el texto en una critica a la expansion del capitalismo en la Argentina de los años 40.

Arts & Literature: Looking Back At The Roots Of Genocides In Ex-Belgian Africa, René Lemarchand

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Cannabis On Motivational Processes For Smoked Tobacco And Cigarettes, Claire M. Gorey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cannabis and tobacco are very commonly used across the United States. Given the high prevalence of their dual use, an important health consequence of cannabis is its impact on tobacco usage rates. After all, cigarettes are a leading cause of death in the United States. Theoretical models of drug abuse suggest that cannabis cues and intoxication may be responsible for enhanced smoked tobacco/cigarette motivation. Therefore, the present research sought to assess these routes via two studies. In study 1 (validation & cross-drug cue effects), researchers validated a set of realistic cannabis images among a sample of participants residing in the …

Gender Differences In College Drinkers: The Role Of Masculine Norms, Jared A. Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Drinking among college students has remained a prominent problem within the United States, with more than 50% of college students drinking alcohol, 30% considered binge drinkers, and 9% considered heavy drinkers (SAMHSA, 2018). Evidence also shows that males are more likely to partake in risky drinking behaviors (e.g., binge drinking or drinking to intoxication) and are at higher risk to be diagnosed with a alcohol use disorder when compared to women (Iwamoto et al. 2014; Grant et al., 2004). Recent findings suggest that adherence to particular masculine norms as a risk factor for problematic alcohol use among men (Mahalik, 2000; …

Advances In Managing Tourism Across Continents: Volume 2, Levent Altinay, Osman M. Karatepe, Muharrem Tuna

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Advances in Managing Tourism Across Continents book consists of peer-reviewed (double-blind) research papers that were presented at the Third Managing Tourism Across Continents (MTCON22) conference in March 2022. The book is published by the University of South Florida M3 Publishing as open-access.

ISBN 978-1-955833-08-0

Table of Contents

• Analysis of green marketing orientations of green hotels during COVID-19 with fuzzy
  • Ceylan Bozpolat and Burcu Simsek Yagli
• The effect of organizational change on organizational commitment
  • Ali Sukru Cetinkaya and Shafiq Habibi
• Tourism-oncology: More than a treatment
  • Ozge Buyuk and Gulsah Akkus
• A literature review on tourism studies based on technology acceptance model …

The Effect Of Organizational Change On Organizational Commitment, Ali Sukru Cetinkaya, Shafiq Habibi

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Change is an ongoing process of renewing the structures, directions, and capabilities of the organizations to adapt to the variable needs of customers, employees, and the marketplace. Thus, organization needs to change in order to stay in the market. Change process will be smoothed by employee’s commitment. There is a strong need to examine the effects of organizational change on organizational commitment. In this quantitative research, survey technique was used as a data collection tool. It employs the scale developed by Meyer and Allen (2004) for organizational commitment. Items used for organizational change have been adapted from scales created by …

Managerial Competencies Review, Ali Sukru Cetinkaya, Khayal Hajiyev

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Competencies are some characteristics that managers use in the organization. Many authors, researchers, etc. have done research on competencies. These surveys usually involve managers working in organizations. Organizations have a great need for competencies. These needs or requirements are constantly increasing or changing. It is important for organizations to continue their activities in the long term and to cope with other competitors. In this study, it is aimed to explain the definition of managerial competencies, their classification, and the characteristics of different types of competencies. Managers are the advantages they bring to organizations by using their management skills and their …

Proceedings Of The Conference On Managing Tourism Across Continents: Volume 2, Levent Altinay, Osman M. Karatepe, Muharrem Tuna

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This is the second volume of the Conference on Managing Tourism Across Continents Proceedings Series.

ISSN: 2834-4731

A Literature Review On Tourism Studies Based On Technology Acceptance Model (2000-2021), Yakup K. Ozekici

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Although there is ample research on technology acceptance model from both out of tourism (Marangunić & Granić, 2015) and tourism literature (Pourfakhimi et al., 2019). There is no paper explicating how the TAM have been addressed in tourism and hospitality literature to guide researchers in accelerating theoretical advancement and help tourism professionals in designing creative solutions. Thus, it is the aim of this study to unfold progress of TAM in tourism and hospitality literature through overviewing it. To fulfil this aim, 145 quantitative papers based their theoretical framework on TAM, published at journals involved within SSCI, ESCI or Scopus indexes …

Geriatric-Tourism, Pmr, And Thermal Treatments In The Third Age, Ozge Buyuk, Gulsah Akkus

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This study aims to reveal the situation of geriatric-tourism (gerontourism) in Turkey with longitudinal data obtained from digital and social media. As a result of the study i) geriatric-tourists visiting Turkey mostly benefit from thermal treatments in complementary medicine and PMR in traditional medicine, and also resort to hair transplantation among aesthetic interventions, ii) they come mostly from Iraq and Libya (Middle East), Germany (Europe), Azerbaijan (the Turkic Republics), and Ukraine and Russia (CIS), iii) they mostly prefer big cities such as Izmir, Ankara, Istanbul, Antalya, Bursa, iv) motivation factors are cost, thermal resource richness, medical service quality and additional …

The Relationship Between Balloon Tourism And Well-Being, Serkan Bertan

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The relationship between balloon tourism and well-being was analyzed in this study. In line with this purpose, a questionnaire was implemented on people living at Pamukkale destination. The reason for selecting Pamukkale was its importance as one of the most prominent localities with many hot air balloon activities. Structural equation model was used in this study which was conducted to determine the relation between well-being and the effects of and support for balloon tourism. The sample was determined with random sampling method. Data were analyzed through PLS-SEM method. Economic, cultural and environmental impacts were found to be positively affecting the …

The Importance Of Crisis Management In Tourism, Dora S. Jurdana, Romina Agbaba

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The tourism industry has been exposed to different crisis situations, which reveal tourism's vulnerability and jeopardise its development through the damage they inflict as well as through their unpredictability. Tourism has proven to be resilient in rebounding in the aftermath of crises. In a globalized world which is constantly changing and in which crises affect people’s lives, managing them is an integral part of effective destination management. The main goal is to research the readiness of the tourism system for crises and to underline the importance of crisis management in order to strengthen the resilience of tourism to the effects …

Positive Influences Of Covid-19 On Local Touristic Sites: The Role Of Country Image In Stimulating Tourism In Jordan And India, Nadine Khair, Vimal C. Verma, Sara El-Deeb

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Tourism took one of the hardest hits during COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Jordan and India, as they are tourism-dependent countries. Despite the restrictions that followed the pandemic, this study identifies the positive influence that this may have caused in enhancing local tourism. The study employed qualitative research methodology in which a sample of 30 interviews were conducted using convenience sampling technique in India and Jordan. Data was analysed using the thematic analysis. Results suggest that countries that have positive country image during the pandemic, may motivate civilians participate in domestic tourism resulting in improving local economy. The issue addressed is …

Islamic Hospitality Philosophy, Islamophobia Host-Guest Relationships, Traveler Psychographic And Archetype In The Muslims World, Jamaliah Jamil, Zulhasni A. Rahim

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The Islamic hospitality emerged within the cultural transformation between tradition and religion context. Throughout history, the Islamic hospitality it spreads to all parts of the world together with the adoption of Islamic faith and lifestyle. Today, the it is visible to identify the Islamic hospitality in many shapes and form of social activities and also commercial industries sectors. Once of the significant form of brand of the Islamic hospitality is the halal industries, which covers food, services, tourism and more based on the increasing demand on the Muslim market. However, the negative concept of Islamophobia that are dominantly prompted by …

The Tendency Of The Z Generation To Recreational Activities And Their Leisure Time Attitudes, Aylin Nalcaci Ikiz, Ismail Ozturk

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The aim of this study is to determine the tendency of the Z generation to recreational activities and the frequency of participation and to determine their attitude towards leisure time. The participants of the research are students studying at Kırıkkale University in the 2021-2022 academic year. The questionnaire form prepared in accordance with the purpose of the study was applied to university students face to face. Frequency values, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and T test were used in the analysis of the data obtained with the questionnaire forms. While the most preferred recreational activities by the participants in the …

Foreign Language Education Perception Of Tourist-Guidance Students As A Factor In Intercultural Communication, Bekir Esitti

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Tourist guidance higher education is designed to provide a variety of intercultural knowledge and experiences for students. Intercultural communication covers tourists from different cultures interacting with their guides, sending and receiving messages to each other, creating meaning and making meanings common. In this context, the ease of communication provided by the proficiency obtained through foreign language education is essential for tourist guidance students who are candidate guides to overcome the intercultural communication problems they will encounter in the profession. In the study, open-ended questions about intercultural communication experiences and the relationship between foreign language education and intercultural communication were asked …

The Role Of Destination Image And Destination Attachment In Destination Loyalty Of Tourists Attending Rural Tourism Activities: The Case Of Canakkale, Buket Buluk Esitti

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

While destination loyalty is defined as tourists’ positive spiritual feelings towards a destination, their tendency to repurchase produced goods and services, and to recommend a destination to others; destination image is a simplification of a tourist’s complex beliefs, attitudes, impressions and thoughts about a destination. Destination attachment means the emotional bond and relationship that tourists form with a certain destination. In this study, these three issues were evaluated in terms of destination marketing and the nature of the relationship between them was examined. For this purpose, natural and cultural areas with rural tourism potential in Çanakkale were examined, and it …

Ingos In Afghanistan: Impact Of Activities And Attributes On Attack, Kathryn M. Lambert

Journal of Strategic Security

International NGOs (INGOs) operate in insecure environments where they provide life-saving services to the world's neediest populations. This study examines the impact of organizational attributes and activities on INGO vulnerability to insurgent attacks in Afghanistan. The study operationalizes three organizational attributes: 1)sustainability, measured by the organization’s longevity; 2)perceived independence from the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), measured by whether the INGO operated in Afghanistan before or after September 11, 2001; and 3)religiosity coded as secular, faith-inspired, or faith-based. In addition, the study operationalizes three INGO activities: 1)type of gender-focused activities and programs of each organization; 2)transformational advocacy, measured as promoting …