Digital Commons Network^™

Refining Thoughts About Human/Nonhuman Differences, Colin A. Chapman, Michael A. Huffman

Animal Sentience

Our commentators come from many fields and disciplines and express highly divergent views, illustrating broad interest in the question. From the breadth of comments, we have identified two recurring themes, which we focus on here. The first is a preponderance of cautionary remarks about evaluating the differences between humans and nonhuman animals. The second concerns whether considering animals as worthy of moral consideration is one of many useful tools for conservationists trying to prevent extinction, habitat destruction, and climate change.

Navigating The Racialized Neoliberal Gaze: Asian American Women Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Professionals In U.S. Higher Education, Ariana Dasgupta

Doctoral Dissertations

Substantial research has addressed the experience of Asian American students in higher education (Hune, 2002; Ng & Lee, 2007; Buenavista, Jayakumar, & Misa-Escalante, 2009; Museus & Chang, 2009; Museus & Kiang, 2009; Pak, Maramba, & Hernandez, 2014; Palmer & Maramba, 2015), and a growing body of literature explores the state of Asian American faculty in higher education (Lee, 2002; Li & Beckett, 2005; Lin, Pearce, & Wang, 2009; Yook 2013). Though research examining how Asian American administrators experience higher education is increasing (Suzuki, 2002; Neilson, 2004; Neilson & Suyemoto, 2009; Li-Bugg, 2011; Reeves, 2015), no studies to date have examined …

Anti-Oppressive Education With A “Different Kind Of Rigor”: Teachers’ And Adminstrators’ Perspectives Of A Social Justice Education Program At An Affluent Public High School, Andrea Frances Struve

Doctoral Dissertations

Affluent youth often experience intense pressure to succeed academically, while conforming to narrow definitions of success that only serve to replicate the power and privilege of their own communities. Therefore, students schooled in affluent settings need to understand and problematize the roots and impact of their power and privilege, a process requiring awareness of and empathy with the experiences of others less fortunate. Social justice education is uniquely equipped to help students do exactly that. Using a qualitative design, this case study of a social justice education program in an affluent public high school explored how teachers committed to this …

Long-Term Effects Of Teacher Training And Other Intervening Factors On Teaching Styles Of Foreign-Language Instructors, Hamid Mohammed-Ahmed

Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated the long-term effects of a learner-centered-oriented-teacher training on teaching styles of foreign-language instructors at a multilanguage institute to assess the relationship between the training and the teaching practice. A mixed-method design was employed, and the data were collected from 165 participants who took the Principles of Adult Learning Style (Conti, 1978, 2004) and who provided their written reflections on the training, in addition to follow-up interviews with 12 language instructors. Results of one-sample t tests showed statistically significant differences between the teaching styles of language instructors at the institute and the general population of adult educators indicating …

Flipping The Script: Prioritizing The Autistic Voice In The Understanding Of Scriping As “Key To Autistic Identity”, Colleen D. Arnold

Doctoral Dissertations

Traditional research regarding communication differences for autistic individuals, including scripting (“delayed echolalia”) is grounded in the pathology paradigm and thus emphasizes the elimination of scripting, without looking at the features and benefits it serves the individual utilizing it. This study, by prioritizing the autistic voices as the resounding experts on the topic of scripting, attempts to identify the communicative features and benefits of scripting, as well as how the dynamics of the conversation partner impact the exchange, both positively and negatively. Further, the research looks at the features of scripting as described by autistic adults. It also addresses the pressures …

Effects Of Think-Aloud Protocol On The Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills Of Seventh- And Eighth- Grade Students With Learning Disabilities, Nasa Lesley Cole

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a cognitive- and metacognitive-strategy instruction on the mathematical problem-solving performance and metacognitive experience of 22 seventh- and eighth-grade students with learning disabilities. When solving mathematical word problems, students with learning disabilities typically lack self-regulation processes (Larson & Gerber, 2002) tend to respond impulsively, to use trial and error, and fail to evaluate or verify their solutions (Bryant, Bryant, & Hammermill, 2000). This study used the Metacognitive Experience Survey (MES), two sets of three mathematical-word-problem probes of varying complexity levels, and think-aloud protocols to measure intervention effect. The first research …

Investigation Of Heat Exchanger Effectiveness Using A Surface Coating Technology, Allen Duffy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diesel engine manufacturers continue to improve engine performance through increased thermal efficiency and reduced regulated emissions. The aftercooler located between the turbocharger air outlet and intake manifold experiences a wide range of operating conditions. Improving the heat transfer characteristics in the aftercooler can lead towards improved engine performance through increased charge air density. A surface coating has been proposed to enhance the heat transfer characteristics for a marine-based application on the water - side of the heat exchanger. To evaluate the efficacy of the coating, the rate of heat transfer with and without the coating was quantified in a controlled …

Soil Health Assessment In Reclaimed Mine Soils, Katie Danielle Stutler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia is one of the top coal-producing states in the nation, which has resulted in over 500,000 acres of highly disturbed, anthropogenic mine soils caused by surface mining. Mine soils are often rocky and contain low organic matter content, low plant-available nutrients, and toxic metals, which could result in poor soil health and low productivity. Soil health has been defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. It is assumed that with time since reclamation, mine soil properties and related functions may change, and soil health will improve …

Ground Ingredients: Analysis Of Lead Exposure In The California Condor’S (Gymnogyps Californianus) Ground Foraging Habitat, Evan Michael Mcwreath

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is a critically endangered species that reached its nadir in 1987 with a population of 27 birds in the wild. Intensive management efforts have been implemented to aid the condors’ recovery, however, anthropogenic factors, like use of lead ammunition, continue to cause fatalities in this vulnerable population. Lead toxicosis, which is responsible for approximately 40% of all condor deaths since 1992, is one of the most significant threats to condors. In birds lead poisoning leads to neurological dysfunction, reproductive impairment, immune suppression, gastrointestinal disturbance, anemia, and ultimately increased vulnerability to predation, starvation, and infection. For …

New Method Of Manufacturing Carbon Foam, Matthew D. Artimez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Carbon foam is a product that has some unique features. Carbon foam is a light weight material that has a high crush strength. It is electrically conductive, but because it is composed of air space between the tendrils, it is not a thermal conductor. Since it contains no volatile content, it is noncombustible. All these features allow carbon foam to have many modern applications. Currently, there are only three methods of producing carbon foam, and all three are not cost- efficient enough to meet the demand of potential new markets.

In this thesis, a new procedure of producing carbon foam …

Evaluation Of Ultra Fine Cigarette Smoke Particles Penetration On 3m 6200 Half Mask Respirators With P-100 Filters, Selcuk Elhan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of half mask respirator with double P-100 filters by determining the penetration of cigarette smoke particles. In this study, faceseal leakage of a breathing manikin donned a 3M 6200 half mask elastomeric respirator with double P-100 filters was determined at various test conditions. A full factorial test conditions of 4 sealing conditions (Non-sealed, only nose sealed, nose and chin sealed, and fully sealed), 2 inspiratory breathing types (Constant, cyclic), 4 flowing rates (15, 30, 50, 85 L/min for cyclic; 15, 30, 50, 80 L/min for constant) were employed and each test condition …

The Role Of Communication Accommodation In Mother-In-Law/Daughter-In-Law Relationships, Erin Claire Shelton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goal of this thesis was to further the literature on mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationships by directly employing Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) to examine relationships between categories of accommodation and relational quality in these relationships. Daughters-in-law (N= 677) were solicited via private Facebook groups to complete an online survey regarding accommodation (their own and their mothers-in-law’s), their feelings of shared family identity, and their relationship satisfaction in their relationship with their mothers-in-law. Results demonstrated relationships between mothers-in-law’s accommodation, overaccommodation, and underaccommodation of their daughters-in-law and daughters-in-law’s feelings of shared family identify and relationship satisfaction. Additionally, relationships were present between daughters-in-law’s …

Promoting Sense Of Belonging And Interest In Geosciences Among Undergraduate Women Through Mentoring, Wenyi Du

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether students’ university sense of belonging mediates the relationship between mentor network diversity and students’ interest development among undergraduate women in STEM majors. The sample for this study was consisted of 277 undergraduate women majoring in a STEM discipline with initial interests in geosciences across nine universities within the United States. A regression-based mediation analysis was performed using the Hayes’ (2013) macro to test the indirect effect of mentor support on interest through university sense of belonging. Consistent with our hypothesis, the analysis revealed a statistically significant and positive indirect effect of …

The Relationship Between Social Skills And Problem Behaviors In Adolescent Males With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Amanda Armstrong Randall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Adolescent males with autism spectrum disorder commonly display an increased prevalence of problem behaviors and persistent deficits in social skills when compared to their typically developing peers. The present study deployed a single subject, multiple-baseline design to investigate the use of the social skills training program Super Skills: A Social Skills Group Program for Children with Asperger Syndrome, High-Functioning Autism and Related Challengesto promote enhanced social skills and minimize problem behaviors. Two groups of adolescent males with autism (N = 6) participated in weekly social skills training groups also containing typically developing peers (N = 3) once …

Towards A Framework For Smart Manufacturing Adoption In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises, Sameer Mittal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Smart Manufacturing (SM) paradigm adoption can scale production with demand without compromising on the time for order fulfillment. A smart manufacturing system (SMS) is vertically and horizontally connected, and thus it can minimize the chances of miscommunication. Employees in an SME are aware of the operational requirements and their responsibilities. The machine schedules are prepared based on the tasks a machine must perform. Predictive maintenance reduces the downtime of machines. Design software optimizes the product design. Production feasibility is checked with the help of simulation. The concepts of product life cycle management are considered for waste reduction. Employee safety, and …

A Coordination-Based Approach To Subnational Variations In Split-Ticket Voting: The Case Of Ghana 1996-2016, Samuel Kofi Darkwa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation seeks to explain the causes of split-ticket voting (skirt and blouse voting) in emerging democracies like Ghana. The analysis carried out here has been approached at three levels. This is because voters’ decisions in the voting booth are affected by factors within the larger political environment which are often beyond the individual voter. Thus, the three approaches employed here consider individual-level, constituency-level, and elite-level factors that affect the phenomenon. In each case different datasets were used to examine split-ticket voting. The analysis reveals that the individual-level factors (demographic characteristics and political information variables) are weak in explaining ticket …

Following The Leaders: Issue Attention And Agenda Dynamics In Women’S Health Care Policy, Kara Anne Fisher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation focuses on shifts in issue attention in the policy process and examines policy changes. Describing agenda setting is important not only for understanding congressional behavior in general but also for understanding the institutional context of other political behavior. I focus on the processes of positive feedback to explain periods of dramatic policy changes observed over a long period of time.

The purpose of this study is to examine the changes in the politics of health policy which opened the door to women’s health care as an important feature of health politics. Thus, my research is motivated by three …

Stockmanship Education And Evaluation, John K. Yost

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation documents two separate works. The first is an evaluation of WVU SFMS/SOIDC Large Animal Module and the second is the development and use of the Stockman’s Scorecard. The WVU SFMS/SOIDC Large Animal Module provides foundational information on food animal husbandry and veterinary procedures to SOF Combat Medic candidates. A quasi-experimental design was used to determine if the module content resulted in an increase in food animal production knowledge for the participants. Seventy-five percent of the subjects had no previous livestock exposure and only seven percent had previously participated in 4-H or FFA. Matched pair analysis determined that the …

Incentives And Economic Decisions: Evidence From Sports Data, Iuliia Chikish

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation presents three essays which demonstrate how sports data can be applied to answer economic questions. Essay 1 explores whether multiple reference points can affect individuals behavior using data from professional figure skating competitions. The second essay examines the role of professional sports facilities and teams in generating local amenities. Using data from eSports tournaments, the third essay aims at understanding whether tournament theory predictions hold in competitions involving mostly mental effort.

The first chapter, ``Incentives and Economic Decisions: Evidence from Sports Data'' studies the effect of multiple reference points on decisions made by professional athletes. Unique design features …

West Virginia Waterscapes: Surface And Mineral Owners’ Perspectives On Groundwater Contamination Due To Natural Gas Extraction, Bethani Turley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the past decade, northwest West Virginia has experienced increasing natural gas extraction from the Marcellus shale. Because water usage for natural gas extraction is high and increasing, there has been a proliferation of concerns about gas extraction’s impacts on surface and groundwaters, especially how hydraulic fracturing and drilling impacts residents’ access to safe household well water. This issue is particularly salient in rural West Virginia, where many residents rely on groundwater wells for household uses. This thesis, based on 30 in-depth interviews with surface and mineral owners, explores resident perspectives and lived experience of natural gas extraction’s impacts on …

Beneath The Gypsum Dunes: Cenozoic History Of Wind And Water From A Core Drilled At White Sands, New Mexico, Jackson Bentley Jakeway

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

White Sands, New Mexico is the largest gypsum dune field on planet Earth, the result of reworking of gypsum deposits. The dunes have been well studied, but the Cenozoic history preceding the formation of the dune field has been poorly studied. A core drilled to a depth of 192 ft (58.5 m) beneath the modern dune field contains deposits from saline lakes, sandflats, perennial freshwater lakes, perennial brackish to saline lakes, and saline mudflats.

The core is composed of bottom-growth bedded gypsum, gypsum sandstone and siltstone, mixed siliciclastic-gypsum sandstones and siltstones, laminated siliciclastic mudstones, gypsum mudstones, and carbonate mudstones. Bottom-growth …

Henosis Experience In Gaming: A Metric For Adjustments To Global Schema And Appraised Meaning, Evan Robert Watts

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Meaningfulness is a media gratification distinct from enjoyment characterized by feelings of insight, contemplation, and poignancy. Video games, too, can elicit experiences of meaningfulness, but the mechanisms underlying meaningfulness are unclear and in need of further exploration. Adapting work from existential psychology, this research proposes the construct of henosis as one mechanism that might contribute to meaningful video game experiences. Henosis is a response to experiences in which a person’s fundamental schema about the world (global schema) is challenged by an event which contradicts this schema. Henosis describes the process by which this discrepancy is resolved via either reappraising the …

The Effect Of Bovine Galectin-1, A Conceptus Secretory Protein, On The Endometrial Transcriptome, Lindsay Faye Grose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Early embryonic loss in cattle is detrimental to reproduction thus, the profitability of both the beef and dairy industries. Therefore, an important aspect of study is to find techniques that beef or dairy producers could use to decrease early embryonic loss Galectin-1, the protein that was investigated in this research is important in modulating the maternal immune system in rodent and human early pregnancies by promoting fetomaternal immune tolerance. The role of galectin-1 within the reproductive tissues has not been thoroughly investigated in cattle. Galectin-1 is located in the caruncular and intercaruncular regions of the bovine endometrium, specifically the maternal …

The Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Family Experiences And Feedback Study: A Follow-Up Examination Of Attrition In An Evidence-Based Treatment In Community Settings Statewide, Brittany K. Liebsack

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Attrition is a significant problem in child psychotherapy (De Haan, Boon, De Jong, Hoeve, & Vermeiren, 2013) and has serious implications (Barrett et al., 2008). Predictors of attrition include those at the client, therapist, and treatment levels. The current study investigated variables associated with attrition in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an evidence-based parent training program for families with young children (ages 2.5- to 7-years-old) with disruptive behavior disorders. The sample of 67 caregivers were treated by 25 therapists from 19 different licensed psychiatric outpatient clinics across one state and were part of a larger study (RO1 MH09750; A Statewide Trial …

Modeling And Development Of The Dynamic Environmental Simulation Chamber (Desc) For Calibration Of Air Quality Monitoring Sensors, Filiz Kazan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The thesis describes the development steps for the dynamic environmental simulation chamber (DESC) and carbon dioxide sensor calibration by using DESC. The sensors are Figaro, COZIR and K30 CO2 sensors

An Investigation Of The Relation Between Mindfulness And Self-Esteem Stability, Cameron Grant Ford

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Self-esteem stability is the magnitude of the short-term fluctuations in one’s immediate feelings of self-worth (Kernis, 2005). Stable self-esteem is associated with several psychological benefits, such as lower depression (Kernis et al., 1998). However, it is unknown what factors lead to self-esteem stability. Because mindfulness promotes a nonjudgmental orientation whereby thoughts, feelings, and reactions are viewed as transient events that do not necessarily represent objective reality, mindfulness might be associated with more stable self-esteem. Thus, the present research examined the relation between mindfulness and self-esteem stability. Undergraduates (N = 190) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: mindfulness …

Untangling The Reciprocal Relation Of The Behavioral And Physiological Immune Systems, Baris Sevi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the past decade, there has been an exponential increase in the study of the Behavioral Immune System (BIS), a suite of psychological processes that serves an infectious disease avoidance function. The BIS is proposed to be inherently intertwined with the physiological immune system. However, very few studies have actually demonstrated this fundamental, theoretical assumption. The purpose of this thesis was to test the possible relation between the physiological and behavioral immune systems in two studies. In Study 1 (N = 388), the relation between implied activation of the physiological immune system and BIS sensitivity was examined. Participants who reported …

A Video Decision Aid To Influence Advance Care Planning, Angela Petry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The best mechanism to achieve successful advance care planning has yet to be identified. A randomized, controlled, experimental study was performed with a sample of 54 men and women who met inclusion criteria and were randomized into the intervention versus the control group in an outpatient clinical setting in rural West Virginia (WV) from December 2018 to March 2019. Participant mean age was 72.4 years. For those who chose to participate (n=42), the intervention group received the usual standard of care, which was a face to face advance care planning (ACP) discussion with the new intervention of a video decision …

Aspect Influence On Productivity When Applying The Deferment Harvest Method In Mixed-Oak Hardwood Forests In West Virginia, Breanne Held

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The deferment harvest method is a new forest management treatment in central Appalachian hardwood forests. It is intended to primarily improve aesthetics by leaving select residual trees in the forest stand beyond the establishment of the regeneration cohort. However, there are concerns with residual tree quality due to the development of epicormic branches and if the presence of forest canopy influences the species composition and development of the regeneration. Topographic aspect can influence differences in productivity in both the residual and regeneration cohorts. This study examined if residual tree quality for timber value and a desirable species composition of the …

Character Morality, Enjoyment, And Appreciation: A Replication Of Eden, Daalmans, And Johnson (2017), Koji Yoshimura

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Much research on media entertainment seeks to explain why viewers enjoy and appreciate a variety of media content. Affective disposition theory suggests that media enjoyment results from perceptions of the morality of characters and viewers’ expectations for characters’ narrative outcomes. However, research has struggled to explain how characters with varying morality (i.e., not perfectly good or bad) entertain viewers. This study replicates a previous study conducted by Eden, Daalmans, and Johnson (2017) that investigated different types of morally ambiguous characters, using a typology of character types based on an online, collaboratively sourced typology.

Like the original study, this study found …