Digital Commons Network^™

Imagine For Tomorrow, What You Cannot Feel Now – The Role Of Anhedonia In Imagery-Enhanced Behavioral Activation, Max Heise, Julie L. Ji, Jessica Werthmann, Fritz Renner

School of Psychology

Preliminary evidence suggests that mental imagery-based elaboration of rewarding activities enhances anticipated pleasure, motivation, and behavioral engagement in non-clinical samples, but its effects in individuals experiencing anhedonia (loss of pleasure/interest) is unclear. Study 1 (N = 90) contrasted imagery-enhanced activity scheduling with two scheduling-only control conditions (Reminder/No Reminder Control) in an unselected sample. Study 2 (N = 108) compared imagery-enhanced activity scheduling with two control conditions (Neutral Imagery/Motivational Verbal Reasoning) in individuals experiencing mild to moderate anhedonia. Both studies measured changes in activity appraisal (anticipated pleasure, anticipated reward/mastery, motivation) in the lab, and behavioral engagement across a subsequent 7-day period. …

Cross-Cultural Data On Romantic Love And Mate Preferences From 117,293 Participants Across 175 Countries, Marta Kowal, Piotr Sorokowski, Biljana Gjoneska, Katarzyna Pisanski, Gerit Pfuhl, Leonardo Aguilar, Steve M.J. Janssen, Benjamin Gelbart, Patrícia Arriaga, Jan Antfolk, Katarina Zvončáková, Linda H. Lidborg, Jorge Contreras-Garduño, Mikhail V. Kozlov, Taciano L. Milfont, Marco A.C. Varella, Valerija Križanić, Mahmoud Boussena, Tina Kavčič, Diana Ribeiro Da Silva, Brahim Hamdaoui, Fatima Zahra Sahli, Karlijn Massar, Eliane Deschrijver, Tatsunori Ishii, Hakan Cetinkaya, Oksana Senyk, Farida Guemaz, Koen Ponnet, Yahya Don

School of Psychology

Psychological studies on close relationships have often overlooked cultural diversity, dynamic processes, and potentially universal principles that shape intimate partnerships. To address the limited generalizability of previous research and advance our understanding of romantic love experiences, mate preferences, and physical attractiveness, we conducted a large-scale cross-cultural survey study on these topics. A total of 404 researchers collected data in 45 languages from April to August 2021, involving 117,293 participants from 175 countries. Aside from standard demographic questions, the survey included valuable information on variables relevant to romantic relationships: intimate, passionate, and committed love within romantic relationships, physical-attractiveness enhancing behaviors, gender …

Strabismus And Amblyopia Disrupt Spatial Perception But Not The Fidelity Of Cortical Maps In Human Primary Visual Cortex, D. Schluppeck, D. Arnoldussen, Z. Hussain, J. Besle, S. T. Francis, P. V. Mcgraw

School of Psychology

Amblyopia is a common disorder of spatial vision and is frequently associated with the presence of anisometropia, strabismus, or both, during visual development. For highly visible stimuli, subjects with strabismic amblyopia often report marked spatial distortions, but the neural basis of this supra-threshold deficit is not well understood. Here, we used a combination of behavioural measurements and visual field mapping with high spatial-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 7 T to assess perceptual distortions in 12 participants with strabismic amblyopia and 9 control subjects. We measured both behavioural and cortical visual field maps monocularly through each eye. Although amblyopic …

More Than Just A Magic Trick? Exploring An Audience's Supernatural Attributions For Magicians' Performances, Paul J. Silvia, Sara J. Crasson, Gil Greengross, Gustav Kuhn

School of Psychology

Performing magicians have long believed that some audience members attribute their magical effects to supernatural methods—to their use of “real magic”. In two samples of adults (n = 412 and 292), we explored personality traits and broader beliefs that might predict supernatural attributions for performance magic. Supernatural attributions were uncommon—many respondents wholly rejected the possibility that magicians' magic was sometimes real—but nevertheless highly variable. In Study 1, a greater belief that magic tricks at least sometimes involve supernatural powers was associated with relatively higher extraversion, higher neuroticism, and lower openness to experience. In Study 2, random forests suggested that supernatural …

Understanding The Role Of Pluralistic Ignorance In Biodiversity Conservation: A Research Agenda, Sandra J. Geiger, Hirotaka Imada, Carya Maharja, Nattavudh Powdthavee, Valeria Vitale, Lei Zhang, Claudio D. Rosa, Zenith N. C. Delabrida, Kristian S. Nielsen, Franz Essl, Mathew P. White

School of Psychology

Most people believe that biodiversity loss is human-caused, yet they may not realize how many others share this belief. Such collective misperceptions—known as pluralistic ignorance—may hinder individual and system changes required to address biodiversity loss. At the same time, reducing pluralistic ignorance may promote positive change. In this Perspective, we provide a brief overview of existing work on pluralistic ignorance about environmental topics and propose an agenda for impactful pluralistic ignorance research in the biodiversity domain. We highlight several research gaps and offer recommendations, including (a) investigating different forms of pluralistic ignorance, (b) improving our understanding of consequences and determinants, …

Clinical Decision Making And Risk Appraisal Using Electronic Risk Assessment Tools For Cancer Diagnosis: A Qualitative Study Of Gp Experiences, Alex Burns, Emily Fletcher, Elizabeth Shephard, Raff Calitri, Mark Tarrant, Adrian Mercer, William Hamilton, Sarah Dean

School of Psychology

Background: Electronic risk assessment tools (eRATs) are intended to improve early primary care cancer diagnosis. eRATs, which interrupt a consultation to suggest a possibility of a cancer diagnosis, could impact clinical appraisal and the experience of the consultation. This study explores this issue using data collected within the context of the Electronic RIsk-assessment for CAncer (ERICA) trial. Aim: To explore views and experiences of GPs who used the ERICA eRATs, how the tools impacted their perception of risk and diagnostic thinking, and how this was communicated to patients. Design & setting: Qualitative interviews with GPs from English general practices undertaking …

“Being Away From Everything”: Exploring The Importance Of Access To Nature For Individuals Living With Chronic Low Back Pain, Alexander Smith, Kayleigh Wyles, Patricia Schofield, Sam Hughes

School of Psychology

Chronic low back pain is a persistent and debilitating condition, and therapeutic outcomes in the long term are generally poor. There is growing evidence to support the ineffectiveness of ‘one-size-fits-all’ pharmacological approaches to pain management. To that end, alternative non-pharmacological therapies such as green social prescribing and time spent in nature are gaining popularity. But it is imperative to understand to what extent these potential interventions are viable by gaining a deeper insight into the lived experiences of the chronic low back pain community. The present qualitative cross-sectional study employed ten semi-structured interviews (9 women, M age = 50.1, M …

Promoting An Inclusive And Humanised Environment In The Intensive Care Unit: Shift Happens, Emilio Rodriguez-Ruiz, Jos M. Latour, Margo M.C. Van Mol

School of Nursing and Midwifery

No abstract provided.

The Wind In The Willows Effect: Does Age Affect Human Versus Animal Faux Pas Recognition?, Gray Atherton, Lucy Robinson, Lucie Guy-Smith, Liam Cross

School of Psychology

Children’s literature is rife with anthropomorphic or non-human characters that may be used as a scaffold to teach children about theory of mind (ToM) or the ways in which people think or feel about the social world. In this study, 107 typically developing U.K. school children in Years 1, 3, and 5 (5–10 years of age) completed a human and anthropomorphic ToM test that tested their understanding of faux pas. Specifically, children from these three age groups were given a human version of 20 faux pas stories and an identical animal version of the same stories 1 week apart (with …

Strategies For Success: Developing The Hero Within To Increase Persistence Of Community College Students Returning From Academic Dismissal, Angela Cavazos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students are enrolling in college at a higher rate than ever before, yet retention rates continue to be problematic for higher education institutions across the United States. Many students fail to persist beyond their first year and are often forced out due to academic difficulties. Students who return from academic dismissal are likely to be dismissed again. This quasi-experimental quantitative action research study aimed to evaluate the impact that a student success intervention course designed through an asset-based positive self-leadership framework and focused on the development of psychological capital constructs of hope, efficacy, resilience, and self-efficacy (HERO) had on the …

A Higher Calling: How Christian Student Affairs Administrators Integrate Their Faith While Working At Public Community Colleges, Danielle J. Ward

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The cornerstone of the student affairs field was the intentional focus on holistic student development, their mind and spirit. The problem addressed was that many student affairs professionals felt ill-equipped and uncomfortable discussing and expressing their personal faith at some institutions of higher education. As a result, some were hesitant about integrating faith at work, personally and professionally. The study sought to identify faith's role in Christian student affairs administrators who worked at public open-admission community colleges and the administrators’ perceptions of how their personal faith integration at work impacted their relationships with students and colleagues. The paradigm for …

Development Of Machine Learning Algorithms To Predict Viral Load Suppression Among Hiv Patients In Conakry (Guinea), Degninou Yehadji, Geraldine Gray, Carlos Arias Vicente, Petros Isaakidis, Abdourahimi Diallo, Saa Andre Kamano, Thierno Saidou Diallo

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Background: Viral load (VL) suppression is key to ending the global HIV epidemic, and predicting it is critical for healthcare providers and people living with HIV (PLHIV). Traditional research has focused on statistical analysis, but machine learning (ML) is gradually influencing HIV clinical care. While ML has been used in various settings, there’s a lack of research supporting antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs, especially in resource-limited settings like Guinea. This study aims to identify the most predictive variables of VL suppression and develop ML models for PLHIV in Conakry (Guinea). Methods: Anonymized data from HIV patients in eight Conakry health facilities …

Holding Governments To Account?, Thomas Hammarberg

Fordham International Law Journal

As a senior human rights advocate—both at the United Nations and the Council of Europe, as well as my homeland of Sweden—it is perhaps notable that I root much of my work in my experiences in Northern Ireland more than fifty years ago.

I was then a relatively young journalist working for a major Swedish newspaper, and I had already been to Greece (then under the colonels’ dictatorship), Israel (to cover the 1967 war), and other hot spots around the world. So when I was asked by Amnesty International to go on a mission to Northern Ireland to look at …

Inclusion Of Patient-Centered, Non-Microbiological Endpoints And Biomarkers In Tuberculosis Drug Trials, Andrew R Dinardo, Wilbert Sabiiti, Stephen H Gillespie, Sophia B Georghiou, Norbert Heinrich, Norbert Hittel, Sami Taghlabi, Danna Carrero Longlax, Mikashmi Kohli, Ursula Panzner, Collins Musia, Christoph Lange, Anca Vasiliu, Rob J W Arts, Anna M Mandalakas, Morten Ruhwald, Lieven J Stuyver, Reinout Van Crevel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Tuberculosis drug trials are primarily designed to identify antibiotic regimens with the strongest potency to kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, microbiologic cure is not synonymous with improved health and recovery. Beyond antimicrobial efficacy, parameters such as morbidity and mortality related to lung function, cardiovascular health, and cancer should be prioritized. This narrative review emphasizes the critical need to emphasize clinical outcomes as much, if not more, than microbiological endpoints. We examine the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and determinants of non-microbiological outcomes in tuberculosis, providing a synthesis of current knowledge. While there is growing evidence for some biomarkers to risk stratify TB …

Advancing Narcolepsy Advocacy: Bridging Patient Narratives And Systemic Change, Ahmed Salem Bahammam, Lindsay Jesteadt, Hamza Dhafar, Amir Sharafkhaneh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

We introduce the Stigma-to-Structure Advocacy Framework, a novel, evidence-based model designed to transform narcolepsy advocacy by systematically bridging patient narratives with structural change. Narcolepsy remains a profoundly underdiagnosed and misunderstood neurological disorder, with persistent diagnostic delays and pervasive cultural stigma undermining patient well-being and access to care. Despite recent progress in awareness and support, advocacy efforts remain fragmented and insufficiently integrated with health policy, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This perspective advances a strategic evolution of narcolepsy advocacy through the Stigma-to-Structure Advocacy Framework, which is anchored in three pillars: narrative-driven awareness, clinical system integration, and policy activation. Drawing on …

The Pointer Imaging Baseline Cohort: Associations Between Multimodal Neuroimaging Biomarkers, Cardiovascular Health, And Cognition, Theresa M Harrison, Tyler Ward, Jacinda Taggett, Pauline Maillard, Samuel N Lockhart, Youngkyoo Jung, Laura C Lovato, Robert Koeppe, William J Jagust, Danielle Harvey, Joseph C Masdeu, Hwamee Oh, Darren R Gitelman, Neelum T Aggarwal, Mark A Espeland, Maryjo L Cleveland, Rachel Whitmer, Sarah Tomaszewski Farias, Stephen Salloway, Valory Pavlik, Melissa Yu, Christine Tangney, Heather Snyder, Maria Carrillo, Laura D Baker, Prashanthi Vemuri, Charles Decarli, Susan M Landau

Staff and Researcher Publications

Introduction: The U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) is evaluating lifestyle interventions in older adults at risk for cognitive decline and dementia. Here we characterize the baseline data set of the POINTER Imaging ancillary study.

Methods: Participants underwent health and cognitive assessments and neuroimaging with multimodal positron emission tomography (PET) (beta-amyloid [Aβ] and tau) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Framingham risk score (FRS) was used to quantify cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Results: A total of 1052 participants (31% from underrepresented ethnoracial groups) were enrolled. Compared to Aβ-, Aβ+ (29%) participants were older, …

On Minimizing Risk And Harm In The Use Of Psychedelics, Jules Evans, Marc Aixalà, Brian T Anderson, William Brennan, Rebecka Bremler, Joost J Breeksema, Lisa Burback, Abigail E Calder, Robin L Carhart-Harris, Katherine Cheung, Neşe Devenot, Ingmar Gorman, Jakub Greń, Peter S Hendricks, Brian Holoyda, Edward Jacobs, Joy Krecké, Daniel J Kruger, David Luke, Tomislav Majić, Amy L Mcguire, Nicky J Mehtani, David S Mathai, Kristin Nash, Tehseen Noorani, Roman Palitsky, Oliver C Robinson, Otto Simonsson, Elin Stahre, Michiel Van Elk, David B Yaden

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Objective: This article outlines recommendations from 30 psychedelic researchers on how to create a better psychedelic safety net.

Methods: A survey of 30 psychedelic researchers asked them to identify key critical research gaps around psychedelic harm and safety.

Results: The critical research gaps identified by the authors included defining the main types of psychedelic harm, the predictors of those harms, and the most effective way to treat those harms. They also call for better support for those experiencing post-psychedelic difficulties, including better online information, peer support groups, affordable therapy, and psychiatric consultation and medication. Finally, the authors call for better …

Treatment Fidelity And Outcome In Cbt For Youth With Autism: The Meya Fidelity Scale, Bryce D Mcleod, Jeffrey J Wood, Jennifer Cecilione Herbst, Danielle Dunn, Philip C Kendall, Eric A Storch, An Chuen Cho, Kashia A Rosenau

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Assessing treatment fidelity in effectiveness research is critical to interpreting study findings. This paper details the development and initial psychometric evaluation of the Modular Evidence-Based Practices for Youth with Autism Fidelity Scale (MEYA-FS) designed to support the assessment of cognitive-behavioral treatments for youth with autism in effectiveness research.

Method: Recorded treatment sessions (N = 338) were randomly selected from 77 youth (M age = 9.65 years, SD = 1.87; 50.67% White; 85.33% male) who received the Schema, Emotion, and Behavior-Focused Therapy for Children (SEBASTIEN) (n = 51) or Coping Cat (n = 24) program.

Results: …

Developing An Artificial Intelligence Framework For Identifying Fusion Blood-Based Biomarkers In Alzheimer's Disease, Ali H. Al-Nuaimi, Mohammed Kamal Nsaif, Shaymaa Al-Juboori

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an irreversible neurological disorder, a major cause of disability among the elderly, with no effective therapeutic options currently available. It is an asymp-tomatic disease in the prodromal stages and begins many years before clinical appearances. Early diagnosis of AD allows patients to obtain appropriate healthcare assistance, accelerating the development of new medications. A biomarker that evaluates the alterations in the brain cells produced by AD in its preliminary periods might be significant for its early identification. Blood-based biomarkers (BBBMs) facilitate the early detection of AD. The BBBMs detection procedure is cost-efficient and minimally invasive. The aim …

Measuring Stigma In Pediatric Oncology: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of Three Global Sites, Lara E Counts, Sara M Malone, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Stigma contributes to fear and shame, resulting in delays in care-seeking behavior among individuals with cancer. As a social construct, stigma is affected by language, religion, culture, and local norms. This study explored pediatric cancer stigma at the time of diagnosis across diverse settings through the adaptation of two stigma measures.

METHODS: This study was conducted with adolescents and caregivers of children with osteosarcoma and retinoblastoma at three centers in Jordan, Guatemala, and Zimbabwe. The Stigma-related Social Problems (SSP) and the eight-item Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness (SSCI-8) measures were translated into Arabic, Spanish, and Shona and contextually adapted …

Sociodemographic Factors Predict Outcomes And Reveal Spatial Tumor Patterns In Glioblastoma, Patrick H Luckett, Michael Olufawo, Noah Naddaff-Slocum, Ki Yun Park, Bidhan Lamichhane, Donna Dierker, Gabriel Trevino Verastegui, John J Lee, Peter Yang, Albert Kim, Omar H Butt, Milan G Chheda, Abraham Z Snyder, Joshua S Shimony, Eric C Leuthardt

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the deadliest malignant glioma of the central nervous system. Postsurgical functional impairment correlates with survival and is estimated using metrics such as extent and location of resection. This study uses machine learning to evaluate the predictive ability of baseline sociodemographic and lifestyle factors for forecasting postoperative functional outcomes in GBM patients.

METHODS: Glioblastoma patients (

RESULTS: Utilizing decision trees with age, SVI/SES, sex, tobacco use, alcohol use, obesity, and race as predictors, we achieved 88% accuracy in classifying median KPS and 85% accuracy in classifying KPS slope. Socioeconomic factors were the strongest predictors. Age, sex, and …

Preliminary Investigation Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea And Alzheimer's Disease In Down Syndrome, Dasoo M Yoon, David T Plante, Victoria Fleming, Benjamin Handen, Patrick Lao, Jamie Peven, Bradley Christian, Ozioma Okonkwo, Charles Laymon, Beau Ances, Christy Hom, Brian Helsel, Sigan L Hartley

2020-Current year OA Pubs

This study provided a preliminary examination of indices of obstructive sleep apsnea (OSA) and sleep disruptions in adults with Down syndrome (DS), and their associations with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology and symptomatology. A total of 93 adults with DS (aged 25-61 years) from the Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium-DS completed cognitive assessments, MRI and positron emission tomography (PET) scans (assessing amyloid-beta [Aβ] and tau), and a one-night home sleep study using the WatchPAT-300 device. Study partners also reported on depressive symptoms and diagnoses. Correlational analyses examined relationships between sleep variables, PET biomarkers, and AD symptomatology (cognitive functioning and depressive mood), controlling for …

"I Feel Like People Would Look At Me Like I'M Dirty Or Like I'M A Thief:" A Qualitative Exploration Of Interpersonal And Intrapersonal Experiences That Influence Recovery Among Adults At Risk Of Opioid-Related Overdose, Hannah S Szlyk, Sara Jones, Jordan Michener, Zhuoran Zhang, Nina Kaiser, Heidi Holtz, Melody Rachel Konadu Frempong, Husain Lateef, William Hutson, Patricia Cavazos-Rehg

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Due to the nature of early termination of treatment and the transient lifestyles of many people who use substances, many providers are unaware of the factors that may have contributed to their client's engagement in treatment. Treatment providers and researchers need a better understanding of intrapersonal and interpersonal factors that impact recovery from the clients' perspective. This study uses qualitative methods to explore these factors.

METHODS: Eligible participants were adults who had used opioids and/or stimulants and were receiving treatment at a consenting facility. Participants completed one-month follow-up interviews after using a mobile health intervention. Transcripts were analyzed using …

Building Toward A Standard Model For Perinatal Mental Healthcare, R Christopher Sheldrick, Megan Deichen Hansen, Nicole H Cirino, Mary Kimmel, Courtney King, Deirdre Logan, Rena Menke, Karen Tabb

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Healthcare decision-making relies on models that synthesize complex components such as disease epidemiology, diagnostic accuracy, and treatment efficacy. A healthcare model serves as a framework to integrate health systems research, biological understanding, and diverse perspectives on health, enabling decision-makers to optimize access, quality, cost, and equity. The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has underscored the need for a shared conceptualization in behavioral sciences to unify definitions and facilitate data synthesis. To achieve this, a standard model of perinatal mental healthcare is imperative.

OBJECTIVE: We propose the development of a standard model of perinatal mental healthcare, analogous …

Reducing Transactional Distance With Ai: Examining The Role Of Chatbots In Online Student Satisfaction And Achievement, Joseph Rene Corbeil, Maria Elena Corbeil

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

This study explored graduate students’ perceptions of an AI-powered chatbot integrated into an online education course, guided by Moore’s (1997) Theory of Transactional Distance. A total of 47 students completed a survey assessing Dialogue, Structure, Learner Autonomy, Satisfaction, Perceived Achievement, and Intent to Continue Use. Regression analyses revealed that all three transactional distance dimensions significantly predicted student satisfaction, with Dialogue as the strongest predictor. Dialogue and Structure were significant predictors of perceived achievement, while Learner Autonomy significantly predicted students’ intention to use chatbots in future courses. Qualitative responses reinforced these findings, emphasizing the chatbot’s helpfulness and responsiveness. Overall, results suggest …

Adolescent Parent Perceptions On Sustainable Career Opportunities And Building Employability Capitals For Future Work, Denise Jackson, Claire Lambert

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

As primary career influencers, parents must support adolescent children in navigating evolving and increasingly challenging employment landscapes. Using a capitals lens, this study explores secondary school parents’ capacity to provide informed career advice and their perceptions on factors known to enhance youth employability and employment prospects. Survey data were collected from 301 Australian secondary school parents to examine their understanding of sustainable youth career opportunities, what can aid youth’s employment prospects, and their utilisation of available resources to support career advice for adolescents. While parents’ perceptions of opportunities by sector and industry aligned with wider thinking, many lacked awareness of …

The Role Of Team Compassion In Mitigating The Impact Of Hierarchical Bullying, Ben Farr-Wharton, Ace V. Simpson, Yvonne Brunetto, Tim Bentley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Hierarchical bullying in public healthcare organizations is an entrenched negative behaviour that results in a range of adverse outcomes for staff, including diminished wellbeing. This study integrates social exchange and conservation of resources theories as a lens for formulating hypotheses and employs multilevel statistical modelling to examine whether team-level compassion moderates the impact of hierarchical bullying on wellbeing. Using multilevel statistical modelling, the study analysed cross-sectional data from 632 healthcare workers nested within 48 teams in a single public health district in Australia. The findings indicate that work teams with higher levels of team compassion can mitigate the negative effects …

Penderitaan Tanpa Ukuran: Mengapa Kuhap Harus Segera Mengatur Kerugian Imateriil?, Setiani Budi Utami, Mardian Putra Frans

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Law enforcement must ensure that the justice process operates in accordance with the principles of true justice. The criminal justice system in Indonesia emerged as a response to public dissatisfaction with the performance of law enforcement agencies that overly emphasized formal law and order alone, without regard for human dignity. The preamble of the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) affirms that this system aims to protect human dignity, thus substantive justice must be prioritized. In this context, human rights, particularly the protection of crime victims, become crucial. However, in practice, victims are often marginalized, especially regarding compensation for immaterial damages that …

A Market-Based Approach To Effective Slaughterhouse Line Speed Regulation, Kailey Mcneal

Animal Law Review

The nature of animal agriculture in the United States is heavily industrialized and profit-centered. Industrial animal agriculture maximizes profits and production by employing low-wage workers to do significant loads of labor. Slaughterhouses’ implementation of faster line speeds reflects this tactic. As the industry continues to increase line speeds to boost profits, workers, animals, and the environment continue to face augmented risks to their health and safety. Nonetheless, slaughterhouse line speeds at the federal level remain largely un- and under-regulated. The current federal regulatory scheme is unduly influenced by industry interests, prioritizes profit over safety, and lacks effective enforcement mechanisms. Through …

The Ill-Fated History Of Animal Protection Laws: Why Congress Must Create An Animal Protection Agency, Melissa Baines

Animal Law Review

Over the years, the United States Congress has passed several federal laws with the intention of protecting animals from being subjected to inhumane treatment by humans. Such laws have great potential to create positive change for animals, but all of these laws have been delegated to inappropriate government agencies for oversight and enforcement. It is time to finally remove the impossible task placed upon these federal agencies—who have been asked to carry out their own stated mandates while also promulgating rules that effectuate animal protection laws in conflict with those same mandates—by creating a federal Animal Protection Agency with the …