Digital Commons Network^™

World War Ii American Propaganda: The Art And Appeal Behind Women On The Domestic Front, Katherine Grace Noe

Theses

While men served their country through military duty during the second World War, women were encouraged to do their part in ways that challenged their traditional roles as the American housewife. Because so many men were off at the front, the United States government had to create new ways to manipulate and persuade American women to join the workforce. Posters and other media featured strong, relatable women and phrases that encouraged women to serve. Propaganda not only suggested how women should act, but also manipulated society’s view of women’s role in the war efforts. Most people are familiar with iconic …

Southern African American Communities: The Portrait Photography Of Florestine Perrault Collins And Richard Samuel Roberts, Stephanie M. Woody-Groshelle

Theses

This thesis is about the portrait photographers, Florestine Perrault Collins (1895-1988) and Richard Samuel Roberts (1880-1936), and how their photographs portrayed “non-othering” representations of their sitters. Collin and Roberts’ works are compared to Southern white photographers from the Jim Crow era to argue for how “non-othering” portraits of their community members were produced. This impacts the way identity can be perceived. Religious and educational themed portraits are used to align a visually associated identity with social values the New Orleans Creole and Columbia, South Carolina communities had. This thesis considers Collins’ and Roberts’ portraits in relation to the state of …

An Investigation Of Novel Object Recognition Memory In A North American River Otter (Lontra Canadensis), Jessica J. Wegman

Theses

Memory is the mental processes of receiving and storing information for later retrieval, with long-term memories being those that are stored longer than 30 seconds. Little research has been done to investigate memory in any of the 13 species of otters. Object recognition memory has the potential to aid otters in identifying conspecifics, prey, and predators, which would contribute to better survival and fitness. Object recognition memory has been investigated in many non-human animals using the novel object recognition (NOR) task. This study was the first to investigate long-term object recognition memory in the North American river otter using the …

Selfies And The Self: The Influence Of Instagram Posting On Self And Cognition, Giovanni Castillo

Theses

Research on Social Networking Sites (SNS) has shown a variety of both beneficial and detrimental psychological and cognitive outcomes associated with high frequency usage. We conducted an online study consisting of a series of questionnaires and a working memory task to explore the relationship between Instagram use intensity and cognition. The present study first investigated the relationship between Instagram (IG) use intensity, rumination, and cognitive failures. We randomly assigned participants into a selfie-posting, selfie-sending, or likes/comments reporting condition to determine whether selfie-posting behavior affects working memory performance. While we did not find significant associations between IG use intensity, rumination, and …

The Effects Of Overshadowing In Drosophila Melanogaster With Experimentally Evolved Preference, Jill Lee

Theses

As seen in decades of psychology research, preferences play a major role in driving the decision-making process in both humans and animals. Researchers have advocated for using the technique of experimental evolution as a way to address some of the foundational questions on preferences. These preferences can also affect what is later learned and how well new experiences are learned. Salience is usually mentioned as an important component of what could influence preferences. Animals such as Drosophila melanogaster, that lay eggs without any additional maternal or paternal care, it is important to be selective when deciding where to lay …

Norman Lewis & Philip Guston: From Modernist Margins To Postmodernism, Joette Deanna James

Theses

This thesis examines the ways in which the African American painter Norman Lewis (1909-1979) and Canadian American Jewish painter Philip Guston (1913-1980) deviated from the dogma of Abstract Expressionism and presaged Postmodernism. The modernist Abstract Expressionist movement placed value on the heroic nature of the painter, the denial of the social and political milieu outside of the work of art, and the formalist quality of the work above all. This paper argues that both Guston and Lewis, in their penchant for experimentation and stylistic fluidity, were prevented from attaining the level of commercial success and popularity of their much better …

A Physiological Computing System To Improve Human-Robot Collaboration By Using Human Comfort Index, Celal Savur

Theses

Fluent human-robot collaboration requires a robot teammate to understand, learn, and adapt to the human's psycho-physiological state. Such collaborations require a physiological computing system that monitors human biological signals during human-robot collaboration (HRC) to quantitatively estimate a human's level of comfort, which we have termed in this research as comfortability index (CI) and uncomfortability index (UnCI). We proposed a human comfort index estimation system (CIES) that uses biological signals and subjective metrics. Subjective metrics (surprise, anxiety, boredom, calmness, and comfortability) and physiological signals were collected during a human-robot collaboration experiment that varied the robot's behavior. The emotion circumplex model is …

Post-Season Depression, But Not Anxiety, Differs From In-Season Status In Ncaa Diii Lacrosse Student-Athletes, Jimmy Spillane

Theses

Objective: While mental health among collegiate athletes is receiving increased attention, research on when student-athletes suffer the most from anxious or depressive thoughts is limited. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to examine how anxiety and depression levels change in student-athletes between in-season, and after completion of the playoffs (after-season), timepoints.

Design: The present study was a pre-post study design with a repeated measures assessment six weeks apart that collected data using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Harvard Department of Psychiatry/National Depression Screening Day Scale (HANDS). The survey set was delivered using the Qualtrics Platform (Qualtrics International Inc, …

Communities And World Heritage Nomination: The Journey Of The Valentia Transatlantic Cable Ensemble, Elizabeth Baxter

Theses

In recent years, the role of communities in the stewardship of World Heritage (WH) sites has been recognised and encouraged by UNESCO. Communities have formally been included in all WH processes from nomination to inscription on the WH List. This case study documents a community-led approach to Ireland’s first industrial WH nomination; The ‘Valentia Transatlantic Cable Ensemble’ (VTCE) on Valentia Island, Co. Kerry. Objectives of this project have been fulfilled through a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative research design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of the Valentia Island community and other stakeholders. Examination and analysis of the data …

Aerodynamics And Aeroacoustics Optimization Of Vehicle’S Side Mirror Base And Exhaust Pipe, Moath Nayef Mohamed Zaareer

Theses

This thesis is concerned with studying two different vehicle parts in terms of aerodynamics and aeroacoustics. Two main factors determine the efficiency and luxury of the vehicle, the low aerodynamic forces and low noise emission. The aerodynamic drag coefficient is concerned with how easy a vehicle can travel through the air; the lower the value, the less fuel is needed to move the vehicle forward and less air resistance the vehicle faces. The aerodynamic lift coefficient is related to vehicle ground stability, and the more negative the value is, the higher the vehicle's stability. Moreover, the aeroacoustics is concerned with …

Color In Pharma: Color Associations And Expected Efficacies, Rema M. Amawi

Theses

Colors influence our daily perceptions and expectations which can manifest in a variety of ways. This research has three main objectives: the first is to demonstrate this effect on the relationship between the colors of pills and their perceived and expected efficacies. The second is to test this effect on a wide variety of demographics, thereby demonstrating that categories such as ethnicity, location, age, gender, educational levels, and pill usage frequency can influence the choices made by participants. Finally, the third objective is to understand the reasoning behind the choices made by participants, as well as the color associations exhibited. …

Inch - Unpacking Measurements, Pallavi Singh

Theses

While global efforts to close gender gaps have taken great strides in the past years, broad cultural views and social institutions still exist to place women at a subordinate level to men. It is a common scenario to trivialize a woman’s achievements or power in instances when she does not conform to gender norms taken as “a given” in a cultural context. A few elementary examples of such social inequality could include unequal pay at the workplace or menstruation in cultures where it is considered a defilement of a woman’s body instead of a female bodily process. In most of …

Low Income Housing Residents' Perceived Competency Regarding Hypertension And Diabetes, Tiangela B. Austin

Theses

People of African-American ethnicity are affected by hypertension and diabetes at alarming rates. Prevalence of hypertension and diabetes is thought to be the result of many different factors. When considering why each or both of these diseases disproportionately affect this population of people, much focus should query around factors such as socio-economic status, culture, beliefs, diet, lifestyle, and patient perceptions. Evaluation of perception is an integral component in demystifying disease morbidity and mortality. This study evaluates the perception of low-income housing resident's perceived ability to maintain normal blood pressure and blood glucose levels.

The Health Impacts Of Nursing Shift Work, Amanda M. Shandor

Theses

This descriptive pilot study was intended to evaluate negative outcomes of shift work stress in nursing. Objective analysis of waist-hip-circumference ratios (WHR) and subjective survey reports were utilized to assess whether differences existed in expressed stress, stress related health disorders, and stress associated behaviors among day shift, night shift, and rotating shift registered nurses (RNs). Statistical analysis of the WHRs indicates that no statistical difference exists in the results from this study across the three nursing shifts.

Buyer Prediction Through Machine Learning, Rashed Ibrahim Karmostaje

Theses

Targeted marketing has grown in popularity in recent years, as well as recognizing when a consumer will desire a commodity may be extremely important to a business. Predicting this demand, however, is a complex procedure. Businesses, promoters/marketers, and sellers are using machine learning approaches to execute buyer prediction. This study focuses on when a customer would buy fast-moving retail merchandise by evaluating a customer’s purchase history at partner vendors. The projections should be used to customize special discounts for customers who are about to make a purchase. In addition, buying behavior is a set of consumption habits that can be …

Opinion Mining Of Phone Sitting Feature, Atiq Yousuf Ahmad

Theses

This report aims to evaluate opinion mining of customers about phone sitting features in cell phones in different brands across the world by using data mining techniques. Therefore, Data for the report has been collected from data scrapping in Qoura which collects opinion of customers. The collected information from the data base has evaluated by using sentiment analysis. The collected information from Qoura transforms the content and extracts data from API’s. In relation to this, information obtains from the research contributed for providing useful information for these features. The collected information from application scrapping has been analysed through sentiment analysis. …

The Power Of Mind Control, Ali Adnan Majed

Theses

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a technology that has been used for so long to read and record neurological activity in the brain. EEG recordings are widely used nowadays for different neurological applications. Emerging technologies that can detect and analyze eye focus using EEG based technology are now are developing quickly. At a relatively affordable cost one can own an EEG kit. With the help of predisposed algorithms or the help of developers, new algorithms for different commands are being worked on. Along with other technologies EEG eye tracking can be beneficial in many domains such as, psychology, marketing, automotive industry, and …

Evaluating Psychiatric Nursing Competencies Applied To Emergency Settings: A Pilot Role Delineation Study, Joanna J. Mello

Theses

Aims: 1) To examine emergency department (ED) nurses' reports of a) frequency b) importance and c) self-efficacy related to the application of recommended psychiatric nursing competencies in three domains (i.e., assessment, tasks, knowledge).

2) To test the extent to which frequency and importance independently predict ED nurses' self-efficacy related to the application of the competencies in their daily work.

Supply Chain Disruption: A Conceptual Framework On Decision Making Using Neuroscience, Sadiya Siddique

Theses

The simplest definition of supply chain is the delivering of goods and/or services to the consumers required by the organization. In the late 1950s it was identified that the supply chain system was becoming more uncertain due to the changes in demands and inventory. Due to globalization and other business factors, supply chain has become more complex now due to which the likelihood and impact of disruption has increased. These disruptions can vary between known-unknowns and controllable to unknown-unknowns and uncontrollable ones. In recent years, the major disruptions happening in the supply chain and its effects on bottom line of …

Sirplus - A Task Management System For Individuals With Executive Dysfunction, Thomas Roberti

Theses

A significant portion of the population struggles with executive functioning and task management. This project explores the pain points for organizing, initiating, and finishing tasks and proposes a design to address these problems. The objective of this project is to relieve the stress and anxiety people with executive dysfunction often experience with tasks. The design process for this project considered different product and interface strategies to help users with their tasks through positive motivation and rewards. Initial user testing showed that information overload and forgetfulness were barriers to setting and managing tasks. Furthermore, the act of crossing an item off …

Racial Disparity In Health Insurance Acquisition In The State Of California, Florence Jill Polina

Theses

Racial disparity continues to be a struggle in America. The main purpose of this project was to determine whether there is a relationship between race and the acquisition of health insurance in adult residents of California who are younger than 65 years old. Through secondary data gathering, analysis of an existing racial disparity in health care insurance acquisition was accomplished. The results of the project indicate that a relationship exists between race and health insurance acquisition, thereby promoting an opportunity to determine hindering factors and discuss recommendations that can help to alleviate them.

I, Object, Shanee Gordon

Theses

I, Object is a 3D animated film which dives into the difference between intrinsic value and perceived value, both by an individual and by society, through an anthropomorphized world where household objects must do what they can to survive the onslaught of a depressed, do-it-yourself, divorcee. Following the mockumentary format, these objects are interviewed about the situation they find themselves in. The different personalities and dynamics between the characters brings a comedic element to an otherwise serious encounter. Opening with how the situation has progressed until the moment the filming crew arrived, the film jumps between characters but sticks to …

Scents Of Memory In The Film: Tender Scent, Teng Chen

Theses

Tender scent is a film about perfumer Rita who finds that her favorite scents are all leading to the memory of her loved one whom she lost forever. Throughout the project year, I tried to visualize the protagonist’s feeling of the scents and deliver the emotions to the audience. There were several versions of the story during scriptwriting. The revisions happened due to the fact of psychology and the build-up of the character arc. The difficulty of blending the character-study story with active and attractive plots made me decide to have a non-linear story structure. We spent three months on …

Biohelm Smart Hockey Helmet: A Conceptual Wearable System For Protecting And Empowering Female Athletes, Anthony Parrucci

Theses

Women’s ice hockey is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and needs the most articles of protective equipment. At the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) level, not only do these athletes need to adapt to team issued equipment that rarely fits comfortably or safely but must also consider the important facets that impact overall performance. The main objective of this project is to promote inclusivity while protecting, empowering and educating athletes in an ethical, noninvasive manner to positively impact the culture of women’s sports. Overexertion at the NCAA level increases exponentially due to the intense training and …

A Smart Yoga Mat System Designed For Visually Impaired People, Dan Han

Theses

Globally, nearly 2.2 billion people are visually impaired, while 39 million are blind at present. Due to various factors, it is difficult for the blind to exercise. Though associations for blind people and disabled schools provide more possibilities for sports training for visually impaired people, these resources cannot reach everyone in need because of location and foundation limits. The project aims to make fitness more accessible for visually impaired people to help them keep healthy. Thus it could support their confidence and independence as they expected. Furthermore, society's awareness of visually impaired people's difficulties while exercising then, more studies could …

Intelligent Relaxation System For Information Anxiety, Xiuyu Shi

Theses

The development of information technology has brought a lot of convenience to people's lives and changed the way we work. There are many people who use cell phones and computers every day, which has caused many health problems, and information anxiety is one of them. This paper discusses a project that proposed to help with the problem of information anxiety among workers and investigates the root causes of information anxiety among IT workers. After user testing and design, this project gives a potential design solution that uses sensory feedback. In addition, this paper gives some insights into the negative effects …

“A Heart Felt Toy System”: How Can Materials, Structured, And Unstructured Play, Impact Toy Innovation, And Design, Mary Keenan Mcloughlin

Theses

The pervasiveness of single use plastic for toy production has created the cultural consciousness that most things are disposable. The moment you’ve deposited something in the trash you are no longer responsible for it and for some, it no longer exists. A material’s lifespan, origin, and sensory experience can be positive factors in its inclusion for a design. I chose to study organic materials and how they can be used for toys and aspects of play. As a case study, I created a felt vehicle toy system that rethinks the way we use organic materials for toy applications. I then …

A Smart Walker That Reduces Falls And Injuries, Jungwhan Park

Theses

Most of the elderly fall in their homes. As a result, the elderly may be socially, psychologically, fatally affected. Living spaces and the safety of residents are essential factors so that the elderly can lead an independent life. The purpose of this study was to develop a protective product for the elderly that will decrease the impact of falls and reduce injuries. Living alone, a slippery floor, a lack of exercise, spatial cognitive ability problems, dark environment or low vision, are the top five factors that showed the highest risk of falls. The results of this study is expected to …

Gamification Of Education And Learning: Heuristic Elements, Player Types, And Learning Outcomes For Art History Games, James L. Hutson Jr.

Theses

The technology of virtual reality (VR) and the gamification of education and learning has had proven educational benefits, especially in secondary education. However, there remains little to no research on the heuristic elements and mechanics that contribute to learning at the postsecondary level of education. Most research conducted has been refined to science programs, but even in these instances, a study of the effects and interests of different demographics has yet to be considered. Given the visual nature of how the discipline of art history has traditionally been taught, there are a number of virtual reality (VR) applications to assist …

Modernizing Handmade Crochet Lace, An Antiquated Craft, Through The Development Of A Blog, Livier Olson

Theses

This project investigates the degree of difficulty involved in initiating a web-based blog and growing its content with the intention to create craft-based entrepreneurship. With the advancement in technology and the help of the internet and social media, this project also aims to express how a vintage craft can be modernized and continue to thrive as a cottage industry. The final deliverable is a blog that intends to educate the public about the history of crochet and its ties to the lace and fashion industry, tutorials for crocheted lacemaking, and the continued use of crocheted lace in modern fashion.