Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Diversity Mixed Messages In Organizational Hiring Websites On Perceived Person-Organization Fit And Application Intention For Entry-Level Applicants, Clementina Edema, Edikan Nkanta, Alexis Noeela Quick, Linda Kabaaula, Alina Niftulaeva, Caleb T. Carr

Iowa Journal of Communication

Organizations frequently incorporate explicit diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statements and photographs of current employees into their online presence, in part to signal to potential job applicants their ability to ‘fit in’ to the organization, its culture, and its extant members. This two-factor (match between organizational DEI statement and racioethnic diversity of members depicted) experiment (N = 105) tested the effect of diversity mixed messages on applicant perceptions of person-organization fit, accounting for the moderating effects of individuals’ demographics (i.e., race/gender and political lean). Results revealed the consistency of DEI statements and the depictions of current organizational members did not …

His Cues, Her Cues: Teaching Presence, Gender, And Relational Impressions In Online Learning, Kyle R. Vareberg, Ryan Goke, Ian Berry, Maranda Goke, Stephanie Kelly

Iowa Journal of Communication

Online courses are increasingly common and taken more frequently by students, yet students' perceptions of them may portray instructors as invisible and uninvolved. Drawing on social information processing theory, we argue that cues intended to signal course design are also interpreted relationally. Teaching presence, the work instructors do to be “present” in the online environment, is not merely instructional structure: it is relational communication embedded in course design. This study explored whether teaching presence and students' perceptions of immediacy and credibility are related, and whether those relationships differ by student gender. Using a cross-sectional survey, we divided our sample into …

I Saw This On Tiktok: Examining The Nature Of Memorable Health-Related Messages On Tiktok, Andrea L. Meluch, Rhiannon Kallis

Iowa Journal of Communication

This qualitative study examines the foci and characteristics of health-related TikTok videos users find memorable. Specifically, this analysis applies the theory of memorable messages to understand what types of health-related messages on social media are memorable to users and the impact of these messages on health-related behaviors. Participants included college students who use TikTok and recalled a memorable health-related TikTok video. Participants identified (a) exercise and fitness, (b) nutrition and diet, and (c) mental health as the most common memorable health-related topics in TikTok videos. Study findings also indicated that participants often have a strong emotional reaction to memorable content …

"That's Just Not Who I Am": Rejection Of The Good Mother Ideology And Other Tools Used By Homeschool Moms To Navigate Motherhood, Gina S. Reynolds

Iowa Journal of Communication

Studying mothers often focuses on the mother-child dynamic rather than the mother as a person. Mother types, such as working mothers, often are singled out for study. One mother that is rarely considered is the homeschool mother. In homeschooling, the mother typically takes the active role in educating the children, and she receives little attention as a person (Lois, 2016). This study examines how these mother/teachers navigate their motherhood. Nine online discussions with 26 homeschooling mothers revealed strong connections to self-efficacy and agency. Agency and self-efficacy contributed to the mother’s ability to navigate and manage the tension between her needs …

Ideological Women And Pursuit Of Political Attitude And Opinion Change In Serial Arguments Within Heterosexual Marriage, Jayne R. Goode, Kendra Knight

Iowa Journal of Communication

Despite the present state of political animus in the U.S., relatively little research has examined how spousal political differences along ideological lines influence marital communication and conflict. This study examines wives’ perception of marital political conflict from the lens of serial arguments. Using a national sample of heterosexual married women, we examine interrelationships among perceived spousal ideological conflict and serial argument goals. We find that both wife’s own political ideology and wife’s perception of husband’s political ideology influence pursuit of serial argument goals. Specifically, the greater degree of self-rated conservatism, the less wives report expressing negativity or dominance/control. The greater …

Liar Stereotypes Among Deaf College Students In The United States, Darrin J. Griffin, Mark G. Frank

Iowa Journal of Communication

This article reports the findings of a study exploring liar stereotypes held by college participants who are Deaf. Inspired by the findings of the Global Deception Research Team’s (2006) study on liar stereotypes across the globe, the authors conducted an exploration of beliefs about liars in a sample of college students who are Deaf and hard of hearing in the United States. For comparison purposes, a hearing sample of college students was also surveyed about their beliefs on this topic. This study further confirms the findings of the World of Lies project in that the pan-cultural belief that liars avert …

Reproducing Audiovisual And Representational Dissonance: Translating Foreign Telenovela Into Twinovela, Nancy A. Frimpong

Iowa Journal of Communication

This article examines the production processes and cultural implications of adapting foreign telenovelas into "Twinovela"— serialized foreign dramas dubbed into Akan—on Ghanaian television. Focusing on Adom TV and United Television (UTV), the study explores how dubbing practices challenge traditional notions of indigenous media by merging global and local cultural narratives. Using ethnographic research methods, including interviews, participant observation, and institutional discourses, the analysis delves into recruitment strategies, translational practices, and the creative process of dubbing. The study highlights the sociocultural dynamics of Akan language use, the role of linguistic norms, and the integration of Ghanaian cultural motifs to ensure audience …

Amplifying African Immigrant Women's Voices: Self-Advocacy And Competency In Maternal Healthcare Communication In The United States, Sahar Khamis, Faith Otchere, Delight Agboada

Iowa Journal of Communication

This qualitative study examines African immigrant women’s access to maternal health information (MHI), resources, and services in the United States (U.S.), the barriers and challenges they encounter when accessing and utilizing these resources, and strategies for overcoming these challenges. The study explored how African immigrant women access and share MHI, the degree of agency they exhibit in accessing maternal care, and how their participation in the study’s focus group discussions (FGDs) shaped their perceived competence and advocacy regarding maternal healthcare in the United States. Fourteen African women currently living in the United States participated in FGDs. Through these FGDs, the …

Seeking Support After Miscarriage: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis Of Semi-Anonymous Communication On Reddit, Mahtab Talafian

Iowa Journal of Communication

Miscarriage is a deeply stigmatized and emotionally complex experience, often leaving individuals feeling isolated and unsupported. Increasingly, people turn to online communities for connection and assistance after miscarriage, and this has been the focus of research for a while. However, little is known about how they seek support in the presence of anonymity. This study examines the strategies people use to seek social support in the r/Miscarriage subreddit, addressing a gap in both health and communication scholarship. While previous research has shown that individuals use online platforms following miscarriage to seek information, share experiences, and seek emotional validation, this study …

Faith-Based Leadership, Mckenna Hohenadel

Honors Program Theses

The thesis paper that follows centers on the concept of faith-based leadership and its impact on organizational outcomes. Leaders play a critical role in shaping not only the success of an organization but also the experiences and well-being of its employees. This research aims to explore the intersection of Christian faith and leadership, best displayed through three styles of leadership including servant leadership, transformational leadership, and spiritual leadership. The literature review covers these three styles and provides the background information for the empirical research. The empirical research concerns how faith-based leaders manage the relationship between their faith values, their leadership …

Impact Of Instagram Flyers In Higher Education: Within Resident Assistant Program Attendance Marketing, Mary J. Mcdonald

Liberal Studies (MA) Final Essays

This exploratory pilot study examines whether posting Instagram digital flyers affects Resident Assistant (RA) program attendance in the higher-education Housing and Residence Life (HRL) context. Instagram has emerged as a dominant channel of communication among Generation Z (1997-2012). As a result, higher education institutions have increasingly used social media to prompt student engagement and foster belonging, in hopes of strengthening retention. Using a quasi-experimental matched comparison design, attendance data from the 2024 academic year without Instagram flyers were compared to the 2025 academic year with Instagram flyers. The independent variable was the implementation of Instagram digital flyers, and the dependent …

Cartoons That Are No Laughing Matter: Stories Jesus Told, Darius L. Salter

Books

No abstract provided.

Exploring Consumers’ Intention And Behavior In The Circular Economy : Evidence From Vietnam, Tuan Hoang Nguyen, Vo Minh Thang Phan

Applied Environmental Research

This study aims to address the key gaps in understanding the factors influencing the intention–behavior relationship of consumers in the context of the circular economy (CE). Grounded in the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this research extends the framework by integrating social pressure, attitudes toward green consumption, and the availability of CE products as crucial components that shape intention and behavior. Data were collected from 603 Vietnamese consumers and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results confirm the core TPB constructs, with perceived behavioral control emerging as the most influential factor. Notably, attitude toward green consumption …

Environmental Sustainability Performance And Efficiency In Thailand’S Rajabhat Universities : A Cross-Regional Analysis Of The Impact Rankings, Konstantinos Balis

Applied Environmental Research

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are expected to increasingly communicate their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the rise of alternative sustainability rankings serving as prominent reporting instruments for institutional transparency. In Thailand, Rajabhat Universities, a network of government HEIs historically associated with their mission of teacher training and local development, have been actively participating in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, presenting a unique case study to explore cross-regional sustainability efforts in relation to global benchmarks. To evaluate trends, regional disparities, and engagement performance across the sustainability pillars, this study uses a descriptive quantitative design …

Shameful Susan: Bending The Binary In The Big Combo, Katie Stebbins

Staff & Administration

An essay written for Ignite Films 4K restoration and physical media release of the 1955 film noir The Big Combo, directed by Joseph K. Lewis. This is one of several essays written for the booklet accompanying the release, and focuses on Susan Lowell, played by Jean Wallace.

Designing For Engagement: A Comparison Of Canvas And A Visual Peer Review Dashboard, Alon Friedman, Md Dilshadur Rahman, Ly Dinh, Paul Rosen

School of Information Faculty Publications

Peer review is an underutilized yet potentially powerful strategy for fostering evaluative judgment and design literacy in visualization education. Critiquing visual work requires domain-specific competencies that extend beyond generic peer feedback; however, widely adopted platforms such as Canvas provide limited support for the cognitive and visual demands of visualization critique. We introduce VisPeerReview, a visualization-specific learning analytics dashboard (LAD) designed to scaffold peer feedback through an integrated visualization display, rubric-guided prompts, and inline annotation tools. We evaluated VisPeerReview through a three-phase mixed-methods study conducted in an undergraduate data visualization course, comparing it with Canvas’s default peer-review workflow. Drawing on interaction …

Collaboration On Waltz Labels Can Achieve Qualitative Stereo Vision, Ben Mathew, Majed Alotaibi, Debasis Mitra, Marius Silaghi

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

Stereo vision requires calibration that can be hard to achieve or guarantee, so we propose a Qualitative Stereo Vision approach based on logical reasoning about edges detected from cameras/robots having different points of view. The proposed technique builds upon the qualitative reasoning of Waltz filtering on edges of a 2D image, which is extended to reasoning about edges from multiple images with different points of view. An assumption is that edges and vertexes that appear in different images can be identified based on their features. We find that a consistent spatial interpretation of a scene, classifying occluding, convex, and concave …

From Recommendation To Reflection: Measuring Moral Value Stability In Human–Ai Collaboration Using Cognitive Value Recontextualization, Waseem M. Samkari, Thomas C. Eskridge

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

High-stakes human–AI collaboration is typically evaluated on outcome quality or efficiency. In morally charged domains such as disaster response, however, a key question is whether decisions align with the decision-maker’s core moral values. Research in moral psychology shows that individuals may accept identical outcomes under one framing but reject them under another—signals of value stability, not noise. We propose Value-Recontextualizing Decision Support (VRDS), demonstrated in a wildfire crisis simulation. The system employs Cognitive Value Recontextualiza-tion (CVR), which re-presents decisions under morally intensified framings, and Adaptive Preference Alignment (APA), which clarifies whether contradictions reflect situational reasoning or genuine value change. We …

Understanding And Critiquing The Discourse Of Gender Ideology, Panek Seresaman

Journal of Letters

This article analyzes and critiques the concept of gender ideology, using Colette Colfer’s Gender Ideology as a Religion as a case study, to examine and respond to critiques that portray gender ideology as a political religion, one that allegedly rejects scientific knowledge and opposes freedom of debate on gender issues. The article first explores the philosophical foundations of transgender thought and its distinctions from feminism and queer theory. It then introduces the origins of the gender ideology discourse with relevant examples to analyze the structure of these accusations. Alongside this, it presents the perspectives of transgender advocates, primarily drawing on …

Behavioral Analysis Of Dracula Through The Dark Triad Personality Theory, Khantisan Siengchin

Journal of Letters

This research aims to analyze the behavioral pathology of the character Dracula through the framework of the Dark Triad personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Using a qualitative approach, the study employs interpretive content analysis of Bram Stoker's Dracula, a novel published in 1897. The findings reveal that Dracula’s psychological structure aligns comprehensively with deviant human behaviors, characterized by emotional coldness as its core. In terms of narcissism, Dracula exhibits grandiosity and a sense of entitlement rooted in his ancestral pride. Machiavellianism is evident through his strategic planning, the use of fear to manipulate victims, and a “disposable asset …

Marshall Shulman: Bridging The Gap Between The Academic And Policymaking Worlds And Building Transnational Communities, Cynthia A. Roberts

Publications and Research

This essay examines Marshall D. Shulman’s legacy as a scholar of Soviet foreign policy, a scholar-practitioner who moved between academic and policymaking worlds, and a builder of transnational expert communities. It highlights Shulman’s early challenge to essentialist interpretations of Soviet foreign policy, his conception of the U.S.-Soviet relationship as a “limited adversary relationship,” and his emphasis on managing nuclear competition while avoiding catastrophic war. The essay also traces Shulman’s role in arms control, Track II diplomacy, scientific and expert exchanges, and the development of Russian and Soviet studies at Columbia University. Drawing on the author’s experience as Shulman’s student and …

The Eightfold Noble Path Wheel Model Of Communication, Sugath Mahinda Senarath

Asian Review

Middle Path (Majjima Patipada), based on the Eightfold Noble Path (Ariya Atthangika Magga) Mindful Communication model is an effort to address contemporary world issues from an Asian perspective. Asian knowledge is based on Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Islamic philosophical and traditional knowledge. In the fields of social sciences and humanities, theories are still mostly Western centric. It is doubtful whether Asian scholars are well versed in Asian philosophical and traditional knowledge in social sciences and humanities. It is better to introduce Asian theories and concepts in order to address Asian issues and problems rather than blindly apply Western …

Maintaining Trust In Uncertain Times: Funding Pauses And The Ethical Cost To Community-Engaged Research, Brynn E. Sheehan

Department Psychiatry & Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Federal funding pauses, once considered rare, are increasingly disrupting the stability and continuity of community‐engaged research. Even projects with active, awarded grants are experiencing the strain of funding uncertainty, raising substantive concerns among research teams and community partners. These disruptions extend beyond operational delays; they jeopardize the continuity of relationships developed through sustained, collaborative engagement. In the absence of clear information about a project's future, uncertainty undermines trust and challenges the ethical principles that guide human subjects research, particularly beneficence and justice. This paper draws on direct experience and insights from the broader field to examine the practical and ethical …

Improving Pediatric Emergency Department Lethal Means Safety Documentation Rates For Adolescents With Mental Health Concerns, Cassandra L. Stegall, Ana-Maria Mcgill, John Fanton, Paul C. Mullan

Department Psychiatry & Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Introduction:

Lethal means safety counseling (LMSC) is recommended for children presenting to the emergency department (ED) for a mental health (MH) evaluation. Currently, no gold-standard guidelines exist for documenting LMSC in the ED.

Methods:

This quality improvement project was conducted in the ED of a tertiary children's hospital. Baseline data were analyzed for access to any LMSC documentation (ALD) for "firearms/guns," "sharps," or "medication," and for complete LMSC documentation (CLD) if access to all 3 types was documented. The first intervention period added open-ended screening questions about access to lethal means to the MH-licensed clinical social worker note template. Intervention …

‘Prov[Ing] What You Already Know’: The Overreliance On Medical Evidence In Adjudicating Ontario Disability Support Program Applications, Alison Imrie

Journal of Law and Social Policy

The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) relies heavily on medical evidence when adjudicating applications. In doing so, it positions healthcare providers as the undisputed experts on applicants’ disabilities. This poses particular challenges for applicants with under-recognized or misunderstood medical conditions like Myalgic Encelphalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), who may struggle to obtain adequate medical care and thus adequate medical evidence for the purpose of ODSP applications. Through qualitative interviews with five individuals with ME/CFS who applied for ODSP, this paper illuminates the particular challenges faced by those with ME/CFS and other under-recognized disabilities in the ODSP application process. Drawing on literature …

2026 Conference Program, Georgia Southern University

SoTL Commons Conference

No abstract provided.

Common Data Set, 2025-2026, Planning, Research, And Policy Analysis

Common Data Set (2001-present)

Common Data Set 2025-2026 for Illinois State University

Thriving In The Middle: The Role Of Mindfulness, Psychological Capital, And Supervisor Support For Assistant Principals, Susan Kim, Peter Williams, Mei Jiang, Teresa Farler

Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study investigates the well-being of public-school assistant principals by examining how socio-cognitive mindfulness (SCM), psychological capital (PsyCap), tenure, and perceived supervisor support (PSS) contribute to their experience of thriving, a construct reflecting overall well-being.

Design/Methodology: This cross-sectional quantitative study explored the mediating role of PsyCap, PSS, and tenure in the relationship of SCM and thriving among public school assistant principals in Texas.

Findings: SCM, PsyCap, and PSS were all positively associated with holistic thriving. PsyCap fully mediated the relationship between SCM and thriving, but PSS did not mediate it. This study identified a portable resource-building route (SCM → …

Excellence In Onboarding: A Case Study Of Campus Leader Support For Early-Career Teachers, Kelsey Bowles, Peter E. Williams, Alicia Piechowiak

Faculty Publications

Purpose: It is critical in industries experiencing labor shortages and high attrition rates, as is the case for early-career teachers (ECTs) in Texas, to understand effective early-career supports and how they contribute to career persistence and effectiveness. This study examines the context-specific onboarding experiences of ECTs and the leadership practices they found valuable.

Design/Methodology: This qualitative, collective case study used a positive deviance approach to examine teacher onboarding experiences. Located in a high-needs, urban public-school campus with atypically low teacher turnover and high student academic achievement. We interviewed eight mid-career teachers about their early-career experiences of supervisor and organizational …

Artificial Intelligence, Judicial Evolution, And Insurance, Renee Henson

Faculty Publications

AI-driven platforms have the potential to inflict traditional injuries in new ways. Proprietary algorithms trained on large volumes of personal data can cause mental, emotional, and sometimes physical injuries via conversational exchanges, harmful content recommendations, and the promotion of extremist content. This "algorithmic liability" fundamentally challenges existing legal doctrines and statutory protections, thereby exposing deficiencies in current insurance coverage frameworks. 

Historically, courts dismissed algorithmic liability claims early in litigation, invoking Section 230 immunity and First Amendment protections, and resisted classifying algorithmic tools as "products" for the purposes of products liability law. Recent jurisprudence, however, signals a critical turning point. On …