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Talking To The Eyes: Paradoxes Of Ineffability And Effusivity In Mark-Making, Theodore Xavier Berg May 2026

Talking To The Eyes: Paradoxes Of Ineffability And Effusivity In Mark-Making, Theodore Xavier Berg

Theses - ALL

Redefining mark-making as an active form of material signification has helped me understand my experience of the paradox of ineffability. This experience is as accurately described by the term effusivity as it is by ineffability, because it is not a matter of what cannot be expressed, but rather of what cannot not be expressed; of the experience that inescapably accompanies expression and signification. As our material means of expression and signification evolve digitally, the consequences of their contradictions become more discernible.

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The Trouble With Being Human, Sam Bray May 2026

The Trouble With Being Human, Sam Bray

Theses - ALL

Grief, Trauma and the Invisible Spaces We Cannot Leave

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Effects Of Combined Action Observation, Motor Imagery, And Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation On Muscle Strength And Size During Short-Term Upper Limb Immobilization, Zahra Pourhatami May 2026

Effects Of Combined Action Observation, Motor Imagery, And Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation On Muscle Strength And Size During Short-Term Upper Limb Immobilization, Zahra Pourhatami

Theses - ALL

Short-term limb immobilization induces rapid declines in muscle strength that exceed reductions in muscle size, suggesting a dominant role of neural mechanisms in early functional decline. Interventions capable of simultaneously targeting central neural and peripheral muscular pathways may therefore offer superior protection during disuse, yet such combined approaches remain unexamined in upper limb immobilization models. To investigate the effects of combined action observation with motor imagery (AOMI) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) (AOSTIM) on muscle strength, size, and quality during 7 days of upper limb immobilization, we conducted a study in healthy young adults. Forty-three healthy young adults were randomly …

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Polymer Concentration Driven Tuning Of Drug Release In Nano-In-Microparticle Systems For Immunomodulation, Jason Bae May 2026

Polymer Concentration Driven Tuning Of Drug Release In Nano-In-Microparticle Systems For Immunomodulation, Jason Bae

Theses - ALL

Osteoarthritis (OA), a disease caused by the wearing and tearing of articular cartilage, affects over 32.5 million Americans. Synovial inflammation is now recognized as a major contributor to OA progression and pain. Activated synovial macrophages in an OA joint are believed to play a major role in low-grade inflammation found in OA. Bisphosphonates such as zoledronic acid (ZA) are known to induce apoptosis specifically in macrophages and several of them are being evaluated as a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug in clinical trials. Zolendroic Acid (Zol) is a biphosphonate that is most commonly used for treatments in bone-related diseases. Previous research reported …

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Going Live: How Twitch Appearances Shape Voter Perceptions Of Political Candidates, Leah H. Ross May 2026

Going Live: How Twitch Appearances Shape Voter Perceptions Of Political Candidates, Leah H. Ross

Theses - ALL

This paper examines the persuasive power of political candidates appearing on livestreaming platforms as a campaign strategy for targeting younger, politically disengaged voters. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of platform affordances, parasocial interaction, celebrity endorsement, and source credibility, it argues that the unique digital architecture of livestreaming sites creates media conditions distinct from traditional broadcast media and other social media. These conditions amplify parasocial experiences, telepresence, and flow, making audiences potentially more receptive to political messaging. The paper then situates livestream appearances within the broader tradition of celebrity endorsements and the growing influence of social media in campaign communication. It …

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Complementation In Guadeloupean Creole: An Experimental And Computational Account, William Joseph Kezerian May 2026

Complementation In Guadeloupean Creole: An Experimental And Computational Account, William Joseph Kezerian

Theses - ALL

This thesis presents an experimental and computational investigation of complementizer variation in Guadeloupean Creole (GC). Despite its morphosyntactic innovations distinct from its lexifier, French, the subordinate structure of GC remains understudied. The project presented here involves a psycholinguistic experiment targeting complementizer usage, using binary choice tasks to gather grammaticality judgments. This was administered during field research in Guadeloupe to 9 youth speakers and 11 adult speakers of GC and French. Ethnographic interview recordings in GC were also collected from adult speakers, which were then transcribed for the purpose of text extraction of key words. I use NLP text-mining methods such …

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Simulated Intelligence, Surveillance, And Play, Atienah Cape May 2026

Simulated Intelligence, Surveillance, And Play, Atienah Cape

Theses - ALL

This MFA thesis explores modern panopticism and the feeling of being watched by creating and installing Four Real Friends, an interactive robotic artwork inspired by the 1998 Furby. The project looks at how surveillance technologies are not just outside forces, but part of daily life, often feeling familiar, playful, and even social. The installation uses hardware design, custom circuits, computer vision, and real-time data display to collect and process how visitors interact in the gallery. Its nostalgic and friendly look encourages people to take part, while still showing how data is collected and displayed as it happens. This makes surveillance …

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Kitchen As An Archive: Konkani Food, Memory, And Identity In India, Sanjana Sharma May 2026

Kitchen As An Archive: Konkani Food, Memory, And Identity In India, Sanjana Sharma

Theses - ALL

The Konkani community has often struggled to find an effective way to preserve its culture. Colonial conflict, regional division, and diasporic migration have stood in the way of creating a unified identity. My thesis argues that Konkani cooking traditions comprising heirloom ingredients, conventional cooking tools, ceremonial food practices, and adaptable diaspora recipes constitute a vibrant and evolving repository. This makes the kitchen an essential yet overlooked space for cultural memory. Concentrating specifically on the Konkani communities in Karnataka, I explore how ingredients such as Kokum underscore an understanding of plant ecologies; how seafood sheds light on coastal traditions; how gendered …

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Ecofeminist Entanglements, Rachel Benbasat May 2026

Ecofeminist Entanglements, Rachel Benbasat

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

I discuss the environmental philosophical framework known as Ecofeminism and its approaches to challenging patriarchy. The discussion includes its conceptualization of women and nature focused on women’s potential to produce life as well as conceptions of power dynamics related to the aversion of women in society and history. I discuss ecological activism associated with women and its relation to different forms of Ecofeminism. I compare Ecofeminism to other approaches to feminism and to other ecological philosophies, such as deep ecology. I conclude by sharing the present status of Ecofeminism and where it may be heading, addressing questions about how it …

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Leading A Culture Of Success, Collin T. Ginnaty May 2026

Leading A Culture Of Success, Collin T. Ginnaty

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

An in depth look toward leadership in the private and public sectors with emphasis in Law Enforcement Leadership.

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A Quality Improvement Project To Increase Identification And Treatment Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes In A Rural Clinic, Paige Spence May 2026

A Quality Improvement Project To Increase Identification And Treatment Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes In A Rural Clinic, Paige Spence

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

No abstract provided.

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Geometric Approaches To Memory Formation In Soft Matter, Gentian Muhaxheri May 2026

Geometric Approaches To Memory Formation In Soft Matter, Gentian Muhaxheri

Dissertations - ALL

The primary focus of this dissertation is the development of a geometric framework for understanding memory formation in systems composed of interacting hysteretic elements, or hysterons. Using tools from bifurcation and catastrophe theory, this work provides a description of how complex memory behaviors emerge from the structure of the system's configuration space and the system bifurcations under external driving. As a concrete model system, we study networks of connected rubber balloons subjected to different inflation protocols. Under pressure control, the system maps naturally onto a Preisach-type system of non-interacting hysterons and exhibits return point memory. In contrast, under volume control, …

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Who Really Cares: A Critical Textual Analysis Of Television Portrayals Of The Fictional “Black Lady Therapist” Post-Pandemic, Tiara Johnson May 2026

Who Really Cares: A Critical Textual Analysis Of Television Portrayals Of The Fictional “Black Lady Therapist” Post-Pandemic, Tiara Johnson

Dissertations - ALL

Given television’s capacity to shape audience perceptions (Bryant & Oliver 2009) and help our cultural understandings of mental health (McMahon-Coleman & Weaver, 2020), both academic and industry research on mental health depictions and stigmas on television have increased. However, with the growing crisis and need for mental healthcare within the Black community over the past 15 years, this research uses a critical qualitative textual analysis to explore television's portrayal of fictional Black Lady Therapist (BLT) as a main character, and how these depictions counter and support stereotypical depictions of the Black woman and how these depictions can be used to …

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Scalable Advanced Control Of Building Hvac Systems Using Physics-Informed Machine Learning, Xuezheng Wang May 2026

Scalable Advanced Control Of Building Hvac Systems Using Physics-Informed Machine Learning, Xuezheng Wang

Dissertations - ALL

Buildings account for approximately 40% of total energy consumption in the United States, with HVAC systems representing the single largest energy end-use. Advanced control strategies such as model predictive control (MPC), reinforcement learning (RL), and differentiable predictive control (DPC) have demonstrated significant energy savings in individual studies, yet their widespread adoption remains limited by the lack of scalable, control-oriented dynamic models, the absence of consensus on control strategy selection, and the gap between single-zone research and multi-zone real-building deployment. This dissertation addresses these barriers through an integrated research program spanning physics-informed machine learning (PIML) model development, advanced control evaluation, and …

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Symmetries Of Legged Locomotion: Theory And Applications In Animals And Robots, Jiayu Ding May 2026

Symmetries Of Legged Locomotion: Theory And Applications In Animals And Robots, Jiayu Ding

Dissertations - ALL

Legged locomotion in animals and robots is naturally modeled as a hybrid dynamical system: smooth body evolution is repeatedly interrupted by discrete contact events such as touchdown and liftoff. Although symmetry is a powerful organizing principle in smooth dynamical systems, a comparably systematic symmetry framework for hybrid legged locomotion remains underdeveloped. This dissertation develops such a framework for a scoped class of periodic hybrid locomotion models and uses it to relate theoretical gait analysis, animal locomotion studies, and robotic gait generation. The dissertation first extends symmetry notions from autonomous dynamics to hybrid legged systems and distinguishes symmetries of the hybrid …

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As Seen On Tv: Growing Influence Of Latinidad In The United States, Alex Vazquez May 2026

As Seen On Tv: Growing Influence Of Latinidad In The United States, Alex Vazquez

Dissertations - ALL

“As Seen on TV: Growing Influence of Latinidad in the United States” examines how Latinos increased their political power through television. Examining both English and Spanish language television programming and its business dealings from the 1970s to the 2010s uncovers an unexplored history of Latino activism. Cultural representations of Latinos on television caused Latinos to respond to these depictions through acts of protest, challenging television’s display of Latinidad. In this dissertation, Latinidad serves as a broad term to link Latin Americans living in the United States. It crosses ethnic identities, uniting them through similar elements of culture expression, language, attitudes, …

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Global Invertibility Of Sobolev Mappings And Energy Minimizers With Prescribed Jacobian, Sabrina Traver May 2026

Global Invertibility Of Sobolev Mappings And Energy Minimizers With Prescribed Jacobian, Sabrina Traver

Dissertations - ALL

We prove two main results at the intersection of Geometric Function Theory and Nonlinear Elasticity. The first is a Sobolev variant of the Inverse Function Theorem, which generalizes a famous result of John Ball. It uses Classical Sobolev Theory as well as the Degree Function, which was initially a topological tool. The second result is the existence and uniqueness (up to rotation) of a radially-symmetric minimizer for Sobolev mappings with prescribed Jacobian. This result generalizes recent work of André Guerra, Lukas Koch, and Sauli Lindberg.

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Dg Algebra Techniques For Tor Algebras And Edge Ideals, Desiree Martin May 2026

Dg Algebra Techniques For Tor Algebras And Edge Ideals, Desiree Martin

Dissertations - ALL

This thesis is comprised of two projects. The first is individual work where I use semifree Gamma-extensions to show, for an ideal I with infinite projective dimension over a Noetherian local ring R, there exists a splitting morphism from a Tor algebra Tor(R/I,R/I) to the exterior algebra of the R/I-free summands of the conormal module. In particular, when the conormal module is free over R/I, we see that the exterior algebra of the conormal module splits completely from Tor(R/I,R/I) as algebras. For the second project my collaborators, Hugh Geller and Henry Potts-Rubin, and I completely classify all trees and cycle …

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On Compact Quasi-Einstein Metrics Of Constant Scalar Curvature, Eric Morgan Cochran May 2026

On Compact Quasi-Einstein Metrics Of Constant Scalar Curvature, Eric Morgan Cochran

Dissertations - ALL

This thesis concerns a generalization of Einstein manifolds called quasi-Einstein manifolds. These manifolds are a triple $(M,g,X)$ where $(M,g)$ is a Riemannian manifold, and $X$ is a smooth vector field on $M$. Quasi-Einstein manifolds are of interest in general relativity, where a special class of quasi-Einstein manifolds are known as near horizon geometries. They are also related to Ricci solitons, which are self-similar solutions of the Ricci flow. In the first set of results in this thesis, we study the existence of Killing fields on compact quasi-Einstein manifolds. In particular, we prove an equivalence between compact quasi-Einstein manifolds of constant …

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The Impact Of The U.N. Convention On The Rights Of People With Disabilities On Education For Students With Disabilities In China: A Case Of Non-Compliant Effectiveness With International Law, Renci Xie May 2026

The Impact Of The U.N. Convention On The Rights Of People With Disabilities On Education For Students With Disabilities In China: A Case Of Non-Compliant Effectiveness With International Law, Renci Xie

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation empirically investigates the impact of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in China, with a particular focus on Article 24, the right to education. Using a mixed-methods approach, this dissertation addresses two central questions: whether and how Article 24 has influenced Chinese national policies on inclusive education; and whether and how the Chinese law that promotes inclusive education has impacted the lived experiences of students with disabilities in seeking educational accommodations. To examine changes in Chinese national policy, the study employs Critical Discourse Analysis of disability-related education laws and regulations. This analysis …

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A Study Of The Links Between Denudation, Lithology, And Tectonics In The Tropical Andes, Helbert Garcia-Delgado May 2026

A Study Of The Links Between Denudation, Lithology, And Tectonics In The Tropical Andes, Helbert Garcia-Delgado

Dissertations - ALL

Landscape evolution in the tropical Northern Andes is governed by complex interactions between tectonic deformation, climatic shifts, and bedrock lithology. Standard geomorphic models often struggle to capture the full spectrum of these processes, particularly in active orogens where topographic steady state is frequently challenged by variable sediment dynamics and deep weathering. Understanding how these factors dictate landscape responses over different timescales is critical for interpreting the relationship between landscape evolution and surface processes of tropical mountain belts. This dissertation utilizes a combination of cosmogenic nuclide dating, numerical modeling, and subsurface borehole analysis to examine the structural, climatic, and lithological controls …

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Development Of Dual-Stimuli Responsive Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticles And Their Surface Engineering Via Polyelectrolyte Layer-By-Layer Assembly, Buddhini Chathurangi Nugaduwa Vithanage May 2026

Development Of Dual-Stimuli Responsive Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticles And Their Surface Engineering Via Polyelectrolyte Layer-By-Layer Assembly, Buddhini Chathurangi Nugaduwa Vithanage

Dissertations - ALL

The modification of nanoparticles with combinations of low critical solution temperature (LCST) polymers and polyelectrolyte (PE) layers is studied. Three n-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide polymers were synthesized in which charges could be varied from neutral, to negative or positive by way of incorporating poly acrylic acid (pAAc) or poly 4-vinylpyridene (p4VP) units. Polymerization centered around a disulfide initiator, which when reduced produced two polymer chains and a convenient linkage to gold NPs (NPs). The resulting LCST-NPs conjugates possessed sharp phase changes at critical temperatures (TC), while the incorporation of pAAc or p4VP allowed for tuneable charges and pH sensitivity. Studies with 1H-NMR and …

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Avicenna On Non-Rational Voluntary Motion, Hamed Shirmohammadi May 2026

Avicenna On Non-Rational Voluntary Motion, Hamed Shirmohammadi

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation investigates Avicenna’s theory of non-rational voluntary motion. Avicenna’s most significant innovation in this domain is his theory of the internal senses, and in particular, his account of the estimative faculty (wahm) and its proper objects, the intentions (ma'nā). Intentions are non-sensible features of perceived particulars—such as the hostility of a wolf—that carry evaluative significance for the perceiving animal. This dissertation argues that understanding the nature of intentions is the key to explaining how a non-rational animal can pursue goals through relatively complex courses of action. Avicenna recognizes two ways in which intentions are acquired: through instinct and through …

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"I Just Wanted To Help": Certified Recovery Peer Advocates And Disconnected Labor, Rosie Benser May 2026

"I Just Wanted To Help": Certified Recovery Peer Advocates And Disconnected Labor, Rosie Benser

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation examines the remaking of the recovery industry via the rise of Certified Recovery Peer Advocates (CRPA), or recovery peers, and the conditions that enable and constrain their labor. Peer Based Support Services (PBSS) was professionally recognized in the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment field starting in the early twenty-first century through federal grants for the underinsured and the ability to submit services for Medicaid/Medicare insurance repayments. As a result, CRPAs are especially present in low-income communities, dispatched to serve people seeking recovery from SUD with a mandate to “have conversations about change.” Drawing from in-depth interviews, participant observation …

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A City’S Neglectful Past: Young Black Mothers And The Creation Of A Reproductive Health Crisis In The Urban North 1900 - 2005, Semaj Imane Campbell-Blakes May 2026

A City’S Neglectful Past: Young Black Mothers And The Creation Of A Reproductive Health Crisis In The Urban North 1900 - 2005, Semaj Imane Campbell-Blakes

Dissertations - ALL

"A City’s Neglectful Past: Young Black Mothers and The Creation of A Reproductive Health Crisis in the Urban North 1900‐2005" examines how the promise of northern liberalism concealed enduring forms of racial inequality in reproductive health. Centering Syracuse, New York, a city long celebrated for its nineteenth-century abolitionist legacy, the project reveals how its twentieth-century institutions expelled pregnant Black girls from schools, criminalized their sexuality, and oversaw some of the highest Black infant-mortality rates in the nation. Through this lens, Syracuse becomes a case study in the contradictions of progressive reform, where liberal ideals coexisted with structural neglect and moral …

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Translating Marine Corps Learning Doctrine Into Practice: Alignment Between Data Systems Training And Fleet Operations, Daniel Duayne Green May 2026

Translating Marine Corps Learning Doctrine Into Practice: Alignment Between Data Systems Training And Fleet Operations, Daniel Duayne Green

Dissertations - ALL

Modern military organizations increasingly rely on information-rich systems that demand both technical competence and adaptive problem-solving from their personnel. In the United States Marine Corps, recent doctrinal reforms articulate an ambitious learning philosophy centered on adaptability, conceptual understanding, and continuous development. This thesis examines how that doctrinal vision is translated into practice through the entry-level training of enlisted data systems technicians. Using an exploratory case study design, the research investigates how first-line supervisors interpret the alignment between institutional training at the Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School and the operational competence demonstrated by newly assigned Marines. Data were collected through surveys, interviews, …

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Financial Outcomes Of Digital Marketing, Jaihyun Jeon May 2026

Financial Outcomes Of Digital Marketing, Jaihyun Jeon

Dissertations - ALL

Digital technologies have transformed how information about firms is created, disseminated, and interpreted in the marketplace. In particular, social media and artificial intelligence (AI) have introduced new channels through which marketing-related information reaches financial markets. Consumers increasingly share product experiences and opinions on social media, while firms communicate technological initiatives through corporate disclosures such as press releases. These developments have reshaped the information environment surrounding firms and influence how investors and financial analysts evaluate firm performance. In this dissertation, I examine how digitally mediated information originating from both consumers and firms affects financial market perceptions, contributing to research at the …

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Transformative Simulations: Bridging Theory And Practice Through Clinical Simulations, Jessica Fundalinski May 2026

Transformative Simulations: Bridging Theory And Practice Through Clinical Simulations, Jessica Fundalinski

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation study explores how teacher candidates (TC) respond to, reflect on, and make meaning of a clinical simulation that surfaces marginalizing language ideologies towards multilingualism and multilingual language users. This study is framed conceptually through language ideologies, Critical Multilingual Language Awareness (CMLA) (García, 2017; Prasad & Lory, 2020), and practice-based teacher education, emphasizing the role of reflective, justice-oriented practice in shaping future educators' critical consciousness. To explore how TCs navigated the simulation in real-time and how they reflected on their approaches and takeaways from the simulation, this study employed a four-phase analytical framework and coding process of video and …

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How Institutions Of Higher Education Leverage Information Technology To Navigate In A Dynamic Environment: The Case Of Alternative Credentials, Sarah J. Williams May 2026

How Institutions Of Higher Education Leverage Information Technology To Navigate In A Dynamic Environment: The Case Of Alternative Credentials, Sarah J. Williams

Dissertations - ALL

This research examines how higher education leverages information technology (IT) to mitigate the uncertainty of enrollment volatility in a dynamically shifting landscape. The strategic alignment model (SAM), a theory of strategic alignment of business and information technology, was applied to analyze how microcredential programs in higher education institutions address this uncertainty. Publicly accessible information was collected to develop cases from 15 institutions of higher education alternative credential programs. The collected evidence was assessed to discern how leveraging technology generates value related to the strategic mission of the institutions. The hallmarks of excellence standards, developed by the University Professional and Continuing …

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Estimator And System Variables On Eyewitness Identification Procedure Outcomes, Gabriella Kathryn Larson May 2026

Estimator And System Variables On Eyewitness Identification Procedure Outcomes, Gabriella Kathryn Larson

Dissertations - ALL

Eyewitness identification is fundamentally a recognition memory task, yet the field has historically been disconnected from broader memory research. The present dissertation bridges this gap by applying foundational recognition memory principles, including list length effects, encoding strength, output interference, and retention interval, to eyewitness lineup identification across three experiments. Using signal detection theory (SDT) as a theoretical framework, discriminability was assessed through both theoretical (d′) and empirical (AUC) measures, alongside positive predictive value (PPV) and confidence-accuracy calibration analyses. Experiment 1 employed a 4 × 3 × 3 factorial design (n = 181) to examine the effects of lineup size, encoding …

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