Digital Commons Network^™

Common Raven Resource Selection, Diet, And Behavior Around A Threatened Shorebird, Janelle Chojnacki

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Human food subsidies have allowed populations of the common raven (Corvus corax) to expand and increase in density, especially in the western United States, which has amplified predation risk for other native species. Common ravens are well-documented nest predators of the federally threatened Western snowy plover (Anarhynchus nivosus nivosus) in Humboldt County, California; however, little is known about raven movement and foraging behavior in and around snowy plover habitat. Using GPS tracking and behavioral surveys, I examined movement and foraging behavior of beach-going ravens across snowy plover nesting habitat and I explored raven diet through stable isotope …

Breaking Barriers: A Resource Guide For Transitioning Foster Youth, Tylor Davis

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This project aims to address the challenges faced by transitioning foster youth in California, including those with disabilities, by creating an accessible resource for transitioning foster youth. The introduction highlights the concerning statistics regarding foster youth outcomes and the lack of preparation they often have for adulthood. The literature review explores federal initiatives to improve outcomes for transitioning foster youth, efforts in California to support these youth, the specific challenges they face, and the educational disparities they experience. It also delves into the challenges faced by foster youth with disabilities.

The design of the project is a one-page, visually engaging …

Sparking Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Awareness Through A Strengths-Based Psychometric Tool: A Pilot Study In A Christian University, Lisa Devall-Martin Dr.

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The pilot study outlined in this article aimed to explore the relevance and value of a strengths-based psychometric tool, Lumina Spark©, in a teachers’ education program. The study involved pre-service teachers from a Christian university and was conducted over a six-week winter teaching practicum. The psychometric assessment and workshop were designed to help pre-service teachers explore their personality and develop self-knowledge, social awareness, and stress management skills. The study found that the Lumina Spark© tool was effective in helping pre-service teachers understand their strengths and weaknesses and how they relate to others. The study also found that the tool helped …

Alterity As A Mirror Of Identity: Primo Levi’S Self Representation In Other People’S Trades, Ilona Klein

Faculty Publications

Primo Levi reveals much about himself in the fifty-one short essays of L’altrui mestiere (Other People’s Trades). This study analyzes L’altrui mestiere as the awareness of the “self” through the observation of “otherness” — other people, but also other living beings which are not human (mammalian animals and insects), others as minerals, and others as hypotheses, theories, writings, microcosmic or macrocosmic conceptions that Levi uses to weave a discourse of “alterity” as a mirror of “identity.” L’altrui mestiere’s narrative pattern revolves around contrasts and comparisons between the familiar and the unfamiliar, the canny and the uncanny, the …

Effects Of Cognitive And Social Demands On Linguistic Production For People With Moderate, Mild, Or No Aphasia, Tyson G. Harmon, Emily Mcdonald, Kyle Steele

Faculty Publications

Background: Most everyday communication occurs in situations where cognitive and social demands are present. These types of situations may compound language deficits for people with aphasia (PWA). An understanding of the language interference that may occur from cognitive and social demands is an important precursor for assessment and intervention that addresses everyday communication situations.

Aims: To determine how cognitively and socially demanding conditions affect micro- and macrolinguistic production for people with moderate, mild, or no aphasia during narrative discourse and to compare effects among groups.

Method: Thirty participants with mild (n = 9), moderate (n = 9), or no (n …

The Naci Way: Connecting Native Groups And Teachers Through Culturally Responsive Instructional Design, Stephanie West, Heather Francis, Cally Flox, Brenda Beyal, Emily Soderborg, Jason K. Mcdonald

Faculty Publications

In 2018, the BYU ARTS Partnership Native American Curriculum Initiative (NACI) was developed in response to teacher questions regarding the teaching of Native topics. Despite increased movements towards reconciliation, Native groups continue to be marginalized in Westernized educational settings. Additionally, teachers lack clear guidelines regarding the respectful teaching of Native topics. Describing the challenges we, the NACI team members, faced in our six-year journey partnering with Native groups in Utah, we outline key instructional design decisions we made and identify the culturally responsive principles that guided those decisions. We also advocate for the application of culturally responsive principles and practices …

Effects Of Cognitive And Social Demands On Linguistic Production For People With Moderate, Mild, Or No Aphasia, Tyson G. Harmon, Emily Mcdonald, Kyle Steele

Faculty Publications

Background

Most everyday communication occurs in situations where cognitive and social demands are present. These types of situations may compound language deficits for people with aphasia (PWA). An understanding of the language interference that may occur from cognitive and social demands is an important precursor for assessment and intervention that addresses everyday communication situations.

Aims

To determine how cognitively and socially demanding conditions affect micro- and macrolinguistic production for people with moderate, mild, or no aphasia during narrative discourse and to compare effects among groups.

Method

Thirty participants with mild (n = 9), moderate (n = 9), or no (n …

Teacher Motivational Behaviors In A Remote Versus An In-Person Class, Mariia Shishmareva, Jennifer Bown, Teresa Bell, Dr. Wendy Baker Smemoe, Dan Dewey

Faculty Publications

Motivation in language learning has been studied for quite a long time. However, until recent years, the focus has been on motivation in face-to-face (FTF) learning environments. Motivation in online learning can be different due to many factors. This study compared how a language instructor used motivational strategies in a FTF vs. in a synchronous online class; and how students reacted to these motivational strategies. For these purposes the Motivational Orientation of Language Teaching (MOLT) was used for observations. Results showed that while the teacher used many of the same motivational strategies in both sections, strategies in the categories social …

The Role Of Trauma-Informed Care In Sustaining The Well-Being Of Refugee Entrepreneurs, Arielle Badger Newman, Lisa Jones Christensen

Faculty Publications

Many international aid organisations encourage refugees to engage in entrepreneurship after relocation to a new host country. Yet, this encouragement may be based on data about entrepreneurship from non-refugee populations, particularly those who do not experience the common traumas of forced relocation. This chapter addresses the topic of trauma and refugee entrepreneurship by asking the following question: How can support organisations encourage well-being (or mitigate ill-being) for entrepreneurial refugees? In doing so, we propose how organisations supporting refugee entrepreneurship can incorporate trauma-informed practices. Specifically, there are four “Rs” to being trauma-informed, which correspond to: realisation, recognition, response, and resistance to …

Student Interaction With Generative Ai: An Exploration Of An Emergent Information-Search Process, Ryan M. Schuetzler, Justin Scott Giboney, Taylor M. Wells, Benjamin Richardson, Tom Meservy, Cole Sutton, Clay Posey, Jacob Steffen, Amanda Lee Hughes

Faculty Publications

ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence, is one of the fastest-adopted tools in history and has quickly become a valued tool in education. This study seeks to understand how generative artificial intelligence has changed the information search process. We collected prompts submitted to ChatGPT and thoughts about ChatGPT responses through a survey of 455 students at a US university. Using thematic analysis, we identified ways that ChatGPT changes the information search process of students by supporting diverse information needs, allowing cycling of prompt adjustments, and promoting easy adoption of results.

An Integrated Model For Information Adoption & Trust In Mobile Social Commerce, Fulya Acikgoz, Abdelsalam Busalim, James Gaskin, Shahla Asadi

Faculty Publications

Despite the growing importance of mobile social commerce (ms-commerce), little research has been conducted on the effects of informational and social factors on users’ post-adoption behavior. We, therefore, build on the understanding of mobile social commerce in the UK market and how it affects users’ post-adoption behaviors. Our theoretical model leverages the information adoption model, social support theory, and social influence theory. Data was gathered from 377 ms-commerce users from the UK and analyzed via Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM). The research findings show that both informational and social factors have a positive impact on information adoption in ms-commerce apps. Furthermore, …

Risk Perception, Cooperation, And Emotional Distress During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Exploring Adaptive Risk Perception, Haiping Liao, Rebecca L. Monk, James Gaskin, Jin-Liang Wang

Faculty Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, while risk perception may promote public cooperation with pandemic prevention, it may also increase emotional distress and thus endanger mental health. This study aimed to examine whether there is an adaptive risk perception pattern that fits both needs of pandemic control and mental health protection. Two waves of Chinese participants (N sample 1 = 1633, N sample 2 = 1899) completed the Scale of Pandemic Risk Perception, the Scale of Public Cooperation with Pandemic Prevention, the Epidemic Worry Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affective Schedule during Feb 3rd to 5th, and during Feb 18th to …

Intermittent Digital Fasting: The Mental Health Benefits Of A One-Hour Daily Social Media Hiatus, Austin Lahue, James Gaskin, Kennedy Daniel

Faculty Publications

In an era where social media ubiquity persists, concerns over its impact on mental health have escalated. This preliminary study investigates the effects of a one-hour daily social media hiatus on the mental wellbeing of 60 college students over two weeks. Unlike common interventions demanding prolonged abstinence, this research explores a more feasible, short-term avoidance approach. The experimental design, including treatment and control groups, illuminates the potential mental health benefits of brief, yet regular, digital disengagements. Preliminary results suggest that even minimal breaks from social media can yield significant improvements in users' mental health. Interestingly, these benefits come not from …

Understanding Product Interest Through Mouse-Cursor Tracking Analysis, Christopher Coors, Jeffrey Jenkins, Joseph S. Valacich, Markus Weinmann

Faculty Publications

With third-party cookies being banned, alternative methods to assess users’ interests online are necessary. We propose that analyzing mouse cursor movements can help address this need. Based on the response activation model, we hypothesize that interest in a product will decrease the user’s movement speed and increase the number of submovements. We conducted an online study that monitored users’ mouse movements while they were presented with several products and navigated to a button to indicate purchase intention (yes/no). Following this, participants ranked their interest in each product. Contrary to our prediction, we found that product interest increased speed and decreased …

Detecting Social Desirability Bias With Human-Computer Interaction: A Mouse-Tracking Study, Paul A. Weisgarber, Joseph S. Valacich, Jeffrey L. Jenkins, David Kim, Manasvi Kumar

Faculty Publications

Social desirability bias undermines self-report accuracy, necessitating novel approaches to detect and mitigate its impact. This study aimed to investigate the influence of social desirability on questionnaire responses by analyzing mouse cursor movements and answering behaviors. Respondents (n=238) completed a health and wellness questionnaire while their mouse cursor data was recorded. The results revealed that individuals under a higher social desirability treatment exhibited significantly longer response times and slower mouse cursor speeds, supporting the hypothesis that they may engage in more cautious and deliberate responding. However, no significant differences were found in terms of mouse cursor deviations or answer switches …

Religion And Lgbtq Suicidality: A Systematic Review, Michael A. Goodman

Faculty Publications

Studies have consistently shown that LGBTQ individuals are at increased risk for several mental and physical health challenges including suicidality. The relationship between religion and LGBTQ wellbeing in general and LGBTQ suicidality in specific has increasingly been the subject of scholarly investigation. This systematic review examines all peer-reviewed articles included in the EBSCO PsychInfo database since 2000 (49 studies in all). These studies reveal a complex relationship which is both nuanced and at times contradictory. The majority of studies (65%) found at least one religiosity related predictor to be a risk factor for LGBTQ suicidality, 53% found at least one …

Ketamine's Therapeutic Potential: A Literature Review, Mya Arscott

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

The demand for alternative treatment for depressive disorders has increased in recent years. Our clinical understanding of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has evolved, highlighting the need for different treatments to develop for this subgroup of depression. Treatment-resistant depression is defined as the absence of significant improvement in depressive symptoms despite standard therapy. Considerable improvement in depressive symptoms can seen in an improvement of functioning in everyday activities and a decrease in negative symptoms such as loss of interest, feelings of worthlessness, etc. Ketamine's rapid method of action has been shown to be notably beneficial for individuals with TRD. Research has proven …

Precarious Gardening: The Influence Of Victory Gardens In Wwii And Their Relevance With Marketing Sustainable Practices Today, Katherine Mali Hanner

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

This thesis explores the concept of precarity in relation to sustainability efforts within the United States through a comparison of victory gardens during World War II and the contemporary garden movement in the twenty-first century. Victory gardens were used as a means to promote civilian action in war efforts to supplement food rationing and contemporary gardening has encouraged the average homeowner to grow backyard gardens in the name of sustainability. Both demonstrate how the marketing strategies during perceived crises have utilized precarity rather than progress to propel action among the common man. While some tactics employed then still remain useful …

Beyond Legal Borders: Applying Predictive Modeling To Affirmative Asylum Decisions Using Economic And Political Conditions, Johann Alexander Cifuentes

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

The present study investigates the objectivity of the current affirmative asylum approval decision-making process in the United States. It provides a brief history of asylum law and the relevant statutes that determine an applicant’s eligibility to be granted asylum. This study will show that the current strict criteria to be granted affirmative asylum in the United States does not reflect the reality of the decision-making process done by asylum officers and adjudicators. Using affirmative asylum approval data by country from the Department of Homeland Security alongside computational libraries found in Python 3, the study will perform correlation and ordinary least …

Expanding Meditation Options: Freeze Frame Meditation And Decision Making, Emerson Lee

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

To expand the variety of meditation types researched and available for use in improving mental health, this study examined whether Freeze Frame meditation, a lesser-studied meditation type, increases decision-making capabilities and wellbeing. We hypothesized that, compared to an active control group, participants engaging in Freeze Frame meditation would self-report increased wellbeing and decreased stress, as well as would rate the answers they received during the meditation to be impactful. Our hypothesis was partially supported by our results, which indicated Freeze Frame meditation increased self-reported wellbeing between pre-meditation and post-meditation time points but did not have an effect on decision-making.

Colonial Legacies, Modern Woes: A Study Of Guatemala’S Battle With Corruption, Emma N. Solórzano Leonardo

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

Utilizing data sets from the Corruption Perceptions Index and Latino Barometer, this thesis investigates the persistent corruption within the Guatemalan government, examining the influence of colonial and liberal legacies and their continuation through the Guatemalan Civil War in perpetuating systemic corruption and impunity. It explores the rise of a progressive anti-establishment presidential ticket in 2023, despite oligarchic opposition, emphasizing the role of resilient democratic values in shaping election outcomes. By detailing the fluctuations of corruption levels in relation to regime changes from 2012-2023, this study underscores the impact of anti-corruption efforts, such as the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala …

Loot Box…Gambling?, Carolyn Mas

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

The ‘loot box’ has become a prevalent monetization method in the gaming industry where users receive a randomly selected in-game reward after paying a fee. The items in these boxes can range from cosmetic items to valuable tools that help players gain a competitive advantage. This mechanism is akin to gambling because players can utilize in-game trading platforms or third-party platforms to trade in-game items for actual currency. This thesis will argue that the elements of chance, purchase, and reward involved with this mechanism exploit the same neurological reward pathways associated with gambling in a way that leaves audiences of …

The Enigma Of The Successful Psychopath: An In-Depth Examination, Josette Mobley

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

In this thesis, I examine three psychological characteristics – psychopathy, autism, and intelligence – and consider how they are related. Psychopathy is a condition that has long captured the public imagination. Articles and blogs are devoted to murderers with psychopathic features. Movies and TV shows have been based on real-life famous psychopaths narrating the horrible crimes they have committed. Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of empathy and guilt, manipulation of other people, and violent antisocial behavior. Intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. “Successful psychopaths” are those who have all the traits …

From Fast Fashion To Slow Fashion, Grace Xiong

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

Fast fashion is an industry that capitalizes on the ever quick and changing fashion trends of our society. To keep up with the demand, many fast fashion corporations find themselves adopting certain practices that have generated a significant amount of environmental and social concerns. However, in a society that endorses the constant grooming of oneself into an image that fits the look of a particular group, corporations are not willing to let this opportunity for great profit go to waste. This paper will first examine the effects of the fashion industry on the environment in general, analyze the ideas of …

Occupational Pressures Of Frontline Workers Enforcing Covid-19 Pandemic Measures In Ontario And Quebec, Canada, Pamela Hopwood, Ellen Maceachen, Daniel Côté, Samantha B. Meyer, Shannon Majowicz, Ai-Thuy Huynh, Meghan K. Crouch, Joyceline Amoako, Yamin T. Jahangir, Amelia León Correal, Antonela Ilic

Études primaires

BACKGROUND:During the COVID-19 pandemic, low-wage public-facing frontline workers (FLWs), such as grocery store clerks, were required to monitor retail customers and enforce COVID-19 protocols. OBJECTIVE:This analysis aimed to examine FLWs experiences of enforcing COVID-19 pandemic measures. METHODS:Between September 2020 and March 2021, in Ontario and Quebec (Canada), we conducted in-depth interviews about customer-related work and health risks with FLWs who interacted with the public (n = 40) and their supervisors (n = 16). Using a lens of situational analysis, verbatim transcripts were coded according to recurring topics. RESULTS:We found that enforcing public health measures placed already-precarious workers in difficult occupational …

Everyday Places To Get Away – Lessons Learned From Covid-19 Lockdowns, B. Gatersleben, Emma V. White, K.J. Wyles, S.E. Golding, G. Murrell, C. Scarles, T. Xu, B.F.T. Brockett, C. Willis

School of Psychology

Being able to get away from everyday stressors and demands, even if close to home and just for a few minutes, is important for wellbeing. During the Covid-19 lockdown periods, people's ability to get away changed significantly. An increase in visits to nearby natural places is well documented. Little is known about other types of places people visited to get away. An online UK survey was conducted in 2020 (N = 850) investigating what places people visited to get away during the pandemic, what they did in those places, how place and activity choices were related to each other and …

Conservatism Negatively Predicts Creativity: A Study Across 28 Countries, Agata Groyecka-Bernard, Piotr Sorokowski, Maciej Karwowski, S. Craig Roberts, Toivo Aavik, Grace Akello, Charlotte Alm, Naumana Amjad, Kelly Asao, Chiemezie S. Atama, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Richard Ayebare, Carlota Batres, Aicha Bensafia, Anna Bertoni, Boris Bizumic, Mahmoud Boussena, David M. Buss, Marina Butovskaya, Seda Can, Antonin Carrier, Hakan Cetinkaya, Daniel Conroy-Beam, Marco Antonio Correa Varella, Ilona Croy, Rosa María Cueto, Marta Czerwonka, Marcin Czub, Silvia Donato, Daria Dronova

School of Psychology

Previous studies have found a negative relationship between creativity and conservatism. However, as these studies were mostly conducted on samples of homogeneous nationality, the generalizability of the effect across different cultures is unknown. We addressed this gap by conducting a study in 28 countries. Based on the notion that attitudes can be shaped by both environmental and ecological factors, we hypothesized that parasite stress can also affect creativity and thus, its potential effects should be controlled for. The results of multilevel analyses showed that, as expected, conservatism was a significant predictor of lower creativity, adjusting for economic status, age, sex, …

Benchmarking Usability Of Patient Portals In Estonia, Finland, Norway, And Sweden, Sari Kujala, Saija Simola, Bo Wang, Hedvig Soone, Josefin Hagström, Annika Bärkås, Iiris Hörhammer, Åsa Cajander, Asbjørn Johansen Fagerlund, Bridget Kane, Anna Kharko, Eli Kristiansen, Jonas Moll, Hanife Rexphepi, Maria Hägglund, Monika A. Johansen

School of Psychology

Introduction: Poor usability is a barrier to widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHR). Providing good usability is especially challenging in the health care context, as there is a wide variety of patient users. Usability benchmarking is an approach for improving usability by evaluating and comparing the strength and weaknesses of systems. The main purpose of this study is to benchmark usability of patient portals across countries. Methods: A mixed-methods survey approach was applied to benchmark the national patient portals offering patient access to EHR in Estonia, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. These Nordic countries have similar public healthcare systems, and …

Efl Learners’ Participation In Primary Schools Of Coastal Areas In Bangladesh, Md. Abu Sufian, Professor Sayeedur Rahman Phd

The Qualitative Report

Despite numerous initiatives by both governmental and non-governmental organizations, primary level students’ skills in English language are still below the expected level in Bangladesh (Hamid & Honan, 2012; Sultana, 2010). Our study examined reasons behind the limited participation of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners in primary level classrooms in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. To conduct the research, we followed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design (Creswell, 2014; Creswell & Creswell, 2018; Ivankova & Stick, 2007). We collected data from 37 male and 23 female students in grades four and five through questionnaire surveys and three focus group …

Mutiny For A Bounty, Emily Strauss, Joseph A. Grundfest

Faculty Scholarship

Experience teaches that attorneys may violate duties of confidentiality and trust to pursue personal gain. Multiple insider trading, embezzlement, and fraud prosecutions prove the point. The Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 establishes a bounty regime whereby certain whistleblowers are eligible for awards of 10%–30% of Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) enforcement recoveries exceeding $1 million. Since its inception, this program has paid at least 207 whistleblowers more than $1 billion. The Commission’s bounty program thus may be a meaningful inducement to breach privilege.

The SEC asserts that its whistleblower authority preempts state law and that it can accept attorney–client privileged information. …