Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

How Are Police Lineups Represented In Popular Crime Shows In The U.S.A? An Examination Of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Luis Fernando Chavarria

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to explore police lineups as portrayed in crime-related TV shows in the U.S.A, such as Law & Order: SUV. The data used is from 25 episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The methodology used for this study is grounded theory and content analysis. results of the study by themes which are: DNA evidence, police lineups, and lineups used in court. From these themes codes were further highlighted and noted. Based on the episodes for the show and real-life lineup procedure practices, there were inconsistencies about clothing, physical characteristics of suspects, incorrect lineup …

Sisterhood & Scholarship While Black, Stephanie Anckle

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Brown Moral Panic: Racism In The Trump Era, Carlos Vasquez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to examine the language used by news media to report Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric against Mexican immigrants, from the beginning of his presidential campaign to the El Paso Massacre on August 3rd, 2019. The study focuses on the latest moral panic in the United States against Mexican immigrants (2015 to 2019) using qualitative methods. The research examines how Trump’s racist anti-immigration rhetoric is depicted in news media categorized as neutral. The study focuses on the Associated Press (Neutral Center), New York Times (Neutral Left) and Reuters (Neutral Right).

Attitudes Of Criminal Justice Students' Towards Women: Hegemonic Masculinity In The Workplace, Lauren Escovedo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the following study is to examine positive, benevolent, and hostile attitudes towards women in the workplace held by criminal justice students enrolled at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. As well, to examine whether or not criminal justice students enrolled at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley believe that criminal justice personnel create a gender-neutral classroom environment. The application Qualtrics XM was used to comprise a 35 question survey that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, was administered online to students for a two week period during the Fall 2020 semester. Criminal justice students …

Examining The Indoctrination Of Mexican American Criminal Justice Students, Noe Leal Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Mexican American Criminal Justice students (MACJS) sometimes select a career in Department of Homeland Security, which has a history of systemic racism and oppression. The purpose of this thesis is to examine MACJS conformity to U.S. ideological hegemony and examine the differences in their understanding of human rights/ethics. A questionnaire was administered to MACJS (n = 156) wishing to pursue a career in DHS. The survey instrument used is based on the concepts of Social Identification: Mexican versus U.S. American; Support for Nationalist Racist Policies, Internal Colonialism, Followership by engaging in policies/orders by the government; and Human Rights: Knowledge of …

Marine Wild-Capture Fisheries After Nuclear War, Kim J. N. Scherrer, Cheryl S. Harrison, Ryan F. Heneghan, Eric Galbraith, Charles G. Bardeen, Joshua Coupe, Jonas Jägermeyr, Nicole S. Lovenduski, August Luna, Alan Robock, Jessica Stevens, Samantha Stevenson, Owen B. Toon, Lili Xia

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Nuclear war, beyond its devastating direct impacts, is expected to cause global climatic perturbations through injections of soot into the upper atmosphere. Reduced temperature and sunlight could drive unprecedented reductions in agricultural production, endangering global food security. However, the effects of nuclear war on marine wild-capture fisheries, which significantly contribute to the global animal protein and micronutrient supply, remain unexplored. We simulate the climatic effects of six war scenarios on fish biomass and catch globally, using a state-of-the-art Earth system model and global process-based fisheries model. We also simulate how either rapidly increased fish demand (driven by food shortages) or …

Cultivating And Reporting Of Campus Threats, Louis K. Falk, Douglas Stoves, Audrey W. Falk, Hilda Silva

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

The consumption of media has been established as one of the elements responsible for changing the general population’s perceptions. Specifically, cultivation theory (depending on the amount of media use) points to an enhanced representation of a characterization conveyed through the media. This depiction has the potential to create an inaccurate portrayal (stereotype) leading to an increased level of anxiety. The proliferation of reported incidents (real or perceived) associated with mass shootings in the U.S. over the last 20 years is an example. This paper traces the relatively recent coverage of mass shootings in the U.S. by the media and the …

Understanding Associations Between Social Vulnerability And Impacts Of Declared Disasters In U.S. Coastal Counties, Magaly Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

United States coastal counties are geographically exposed to coastal hazards and their associated risks which are amplified by social vulnerability. This study examined associations between social vulnerability factors and impacts of disasters decorated with the presidential disaster declaration. Study area includes 306 US coastal shoreline counties. Data were obtained from the 2017 American Community Survey and Spatial Hazard Events and Losses Database. Multi-regression method was implemented. Disaster impact was measured by property damages, crop damages and number of disasters declared during 2008–2017. Findings indicated that females, civilians with a disability, mobile homes, and single parent households show statistically significant positive …

Gender Dynamics In Charreria Mexicana, Karen Melissa Flores Tavizon

Theses and Dissertations

This research and analysis about the experiences of women in charrería show the pervasive negotiation of needs that they engage as practicing in an Escaramuza Charra. Inside this study, it is introduced the term Sisterhood Paradox, used to describe the struggle that represents the Escaramuza’s constant collective performance, in comparison to charros, but that paradoxically serves a tool of resistance of charra women inside this patriarchal institution. In this piece of work, it is also argued that women in charrería, in many cases, are not aware of the subordinate position they occupy and in an unconscious way function as agents …

Covid-19, Wall Building, And The Effects On Migrant Protection Protocols By The Trump Administration: The Spectacle Of The Worsening Human Rights Disaster On The Mexico-U.S. Border, Terence Garrett

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The COVID-19 pandemic has repercussions well beyond the confines of borders. National border policies can thwart international efforts to combat the spread of infectious diseases. These problems are especially relevant for the United States with the spectacle of President Trump’s “big, beautiful border wall” used as leverage to maintain political and economic power domestically and globally while confronting the coronavirus pandemic. The focus of this paper is the implementation of Trump’s Zero Tolerance Policy, Migrant Protection Protocols, and the Asylum Cooperation Agreement, all aimed primarily at migrants and refugees from Central America to prevent entrance into the U.S. using the …

The Security Apparatus, Federal Magistrate Courts, And Detention Centers As Simulacra: The Effects Of Trump’S Zero Tolerance Policy On Migrants And Refugees In The Rio Grande Valley, Terence Garrett

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Trump’s DHS implemented the Zero Tolerance policy from April 6 to June 24, 2018. Refugees, prevented from crossing the midpoints of bridges by Customs and Border Protection agents, crossed the Rio Grande to ask for asylum, were denied, and forced to cross at places deemed illegal by law. This resulted in misdemeanor violations for unlawful entry and fleeing immigration checkpoints. The policy initiative centered on the separation of children from their migrant parents—refugees fleeing from the northern triangle countries: El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. Adult migrants were sent to prisons and holding facilities, brought before a magistrate to plead guilty, …

Literacy As Geographies Of Transnationalism And Mobility: Diasporic Experiences, Identities, And Knowledge Production, Cinthya M. Saavedra

Mexican American Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

In an increasingly mobile world, be it virtual or material, we have an incredible opportunity to conceptualize this mobility as a generator of knowledge production, giving us new ways to understand embodied literacies (Johnson & Vasudevan, 2012; Schmidt & Beucher, 2018) and ultimately reimagine our world. At some point in our lives, most of us have had to move or relocate, facing new ideas, people, and places/lands. These movimientos and migrations inevitably turn our worldview upside down, blurring our realities, a phenomenon Gloria Anzaldúa (2002, 2015) calls arrebatos (earth-shattering ruptures). Arrebatos are moments in our lives when we are catapulted …

Empirical Evaluation Of Disaster Preparedness For Hurricanes In The Rio Grande Valley, Dean Kyne, Leslie Cisneros, Josue Delacruz, Bianca Lopez, Cristina Madrid, Rebecca Moran, Alma Provencio, Felix Ramos, Maria Fernanda Silva

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Individual emergency preparedness is critical to mitigate and minimize the negative impacts from disasters. Preparing for future disasters could enhance capacity to better cope with the external shocks and achieve a faster return to normalcy after the disaster event. This study investigates how individuals living in the Rio Grande Valley prepare themselves for the future hurricane disasters. The study investigates the state of objective and subjective preparedness and any discrepancy between the two types of disaster preparedness. Using collected data from590 respondents via an online survey instrument, the study examines the relationships between the states of individual preparedness and selected …

Women In Law Enforcement: The Impacts And Obstacles They Face In A Hispanic- And Male-Dominated Culture, Lisa M. Seiser

Theses and Dissertations

Despite a lack of female law enforcement representation in police departments across the country and especially in the Border Patrol, there have been minimal studies performed that focus on the obstacles women face in these professions. The purpose of this study was to attempt to understand the lived experiences of female law enforcement officers/border patrol agents in this male-dominated profession, but also adding the aspect of them working in a Hispanic-dominated culture.

The findings revealed these women in law enforcement working in a Hispanic area face many of the same obstacles as women in other parts of the country - …

Measuring Disaster Resiliency In The Rio Grande Valley, Alma R. Provencio

Theses and Dissertations

People are now becoming more conscious of the effects of climate change. They are seeking to understand how to manage their resources and prepare for when a disaster strikes. The growing studies of disaster resilience lend that opportunity. In this spatial and temporal study, disaster resilience was measured for each census tract within the four counties of the Rio Grande Valley. Utilizing GIS tools and methods, the study examines resilience patterns between 2010 and 2017.

Results showed that even though various census tracts from each of the four counties increased in resilience from 2010 to 2017, the overall total resilience …

Skin In The Game: Colorism And The Subtle Operation Of Stereotypes In Men’S College Basketball, Steven L. Foy, Rashawn Ray

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Colorism research often suffers from endogeneity issues related to human capital outcomes and researchers’ inability to compare the effects of skin tone to those of racial classification. Furthermore, colorism research focuses on intraracial differences in skin tone inequality while insufficiently considering skin tone inequality across racial groups. Using data from video broadcasts of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s annual, single-elimination Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament for the years 2000–2010, we quantitatively examine comments made by announcers about the performance, physical characteristics, and mental characteristics of players across various skin tones. Controlling for objective measures of performance, we find that announcers …

Physical Violence And Vulnerable Adolescents: The Roles Of School Climate And Presence Of Similar Peers, Igor Ryabov

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Using nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (a.k.a., Add Health), this study examines the impact of school climate and share of vulnerable groups of students on self-perceived discrimination and violence involvement in high school. Violence involvement is operationalized as victimization and perpetration of physical violence. Five categories of vulnerability status are analyzed: the emotionally disabled, learning disabled, physically disabled, obese and LGB. Results suggest that relatively higher odds of violence involvement for individuals who were members of vulnerable groups as adolescents are fully explained by school climate and an extensive set of individual-level controls. While …

Understanding Offender Needs Over Forms Of Isolation Using A Repeated Measures Design, Michael F. Campagna, Melissa A. Kowalski, Laurie A. Drapela, Mary K. Stohr, Elizabeth Thompson Tollefsbol, Youngki Woo, Xiaohan Mei, Zachary K. Hamilton

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

A number of studies find that solitary confinement is associated with mental impairment. Yet, confinement dosage and which individual and exogenous variables lead to mental impairment have received less attention. This study of 2 years of data on disciplinary segregation male inmates employs a repeated measures design to examine how isolation affects mental health and psychological needs. The findings indicate that the duration of disciplinary segregation and incarceration, incidence of homelessness, and other individual-level factors had deleterious effects on mental health and psychological needs. Vocational programming and a high school education were found to be protective factors for psychological needs.

Entry And Stability Of Cross-National Marriages In The United States, Igor Ryabov, Yuanting Zhang

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

As more and more people move across borders, marriage is becoming an increasingly global affair. Yet cross-national marriage (CNM) migration has not received the scholarly attention it deserves. The present study examines the characteristics and marital stability of unions between U.S. nationals and their foreign-born (FB) spouses residing in the United States. Two data sources were used in the analysis—the American Community Survey (ACS) and the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). Our results indicated that, after controlling for race/ethnicity, socioeconomic background and marital history, marriages between U.S. nationals and their FB spouses who entered the United States as …

Pathogens Without Borders: Ecological Determinants Of Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors Among International Travelers Across The Life Course, Yok-Fong Paat, Luis R. Torres

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose

Drawing insights from the ecological theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore social determinants related to pathways to high-risk sexual behaviors of international travelers across their life span.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 45 international travelers in Houston, a critical transit point frequented by international visitors.

Findings

Overall, several ecological settings (individuals, interpersonal, institutional and contextual) related to two typologies of international travelers (risk takers vs non-risk takers) and their inclination to engage in high-risk sexual practices in an international or/and local context were identified.

Research limitations/implications

This research calls for the need to assess high-risk sexual …

Cultural Foundations Of Contentious Democracy In South Korea, Youngho Cho, Mi-Son Kim, Yong Cheol Kim

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study takes a cultural approach to examine the unstable and contentious nature of Korean democracy. Analyzing an original nationwide survey conducted in 2015, we find that the democratic and participatory culture of the Korean people underlies Korean democracy. This finding suggests substantial tension between the participatory orientation of the public and Korean representative democracy.

How Much Does Physical Attractiveness Matter For Blacks? Linking Skin Color, Physical Attractiveness, And Black Status Attainment, Igor Ryabov

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The accumulated evidence suggests that lighter-complected blacks are more successful in our society than their darker-complected counterparts. Prior research also documents a correlation between physical attractiveness and socio-economic status attainment. The current study bridges the literatures on colorism and physical attraction and examines the complex relationship between skin color, physical attractiveness, gender, on the one hand, and three indicators of status attainment (educational attainment, hourly wage and job quality), on the other, for black young adults. Controls include family SES, family structure, parent–child relationships, and other covariates. Analysis was conducted in STATA and via structural equation modeling using MPlus software. …

Parental Incarceration And Social Status Attainment Of Hispanic Young Adults, Igor Ryabov

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The fact that parental incarceration has become a common event in the life course of many children is troubling. Using structural equation modeling, the present study investigates how immigrant generational status and family socioeconomic background interact with parental incarceration to influence status attainment for Hispanic young adults. Three indicators of status attainment in young adulthood are used as outcome variables—educational attainment, wage, and job quality. Results indicate that parental incarceration has a strong and negative influence on all three indicators of attained status. Most importantly, we found that parental incarceration mediates influence of immigrant generational status and family socioeconomic background …

Hispanic Culture And Machismo: How Hispanics Interpret Transgender And Gender Non-Conforming Identities, Karen R. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines dynamics linked to normative gender expectations and gender identities within Hispanic culture. Little is known in this regard concerning how Hispanics perceive and interpret transgender and gender non-conforming identities. The analysis provides qualitative assessment using 35 in-depth face-to-face interviews and examines the following research questions: 1) how do life experiences such as marriage, parenthood, and work force participation among Hispanics shape their formation of gender expectations? 2) Among Hispanics, how do class, race/ethnicity, and education shape the construction of gender ideologies.

The present study, in turn adds to the literature by examining gender norm constructs among Mexican-origin …

Does Machismo Culture Influence Latina/O Attitudes On Mental Health?, Amanda R. Mercado

Theses and Dissertations

This study represents an attempt to contribute to the identified gap in knowledge towards the effects of machismo on both Latina women and Latino men and how it effects their attitudes towards mental health. The idea that previous research on machismo has been so one-sided, but has revealed that psychological distresses were present and ignored, leaves room for my research to explore how Latina women are affected because they are just as susceptible to psychological distresses as men. By using a research based framework to explain the effects of machismo on both Latina women and Latino men, my study will …

Childhood Obesity And Academic Outcomes In Young Adulthood, Igor Ryabov

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The present study used nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (a.k.a., Add Health) to examine the impact of childhood obesity on young adult educational attainment. In addition to weight status, independent variables included race–ethnicity, immigrant generational status, family socio-economic status (SES), preference for overweight and obese friends in school, school socio-economic and race–ethnic composition, and other important predictors. Educational attainment was measured as a categorical variable with the categories reflecting key educational benchmarks: (1) being a high school graduate; (2) having some college education; and (3) having completed a bachelor’s or higher degree. The results …

Asthma Predictors Influence On Self-Management Asthma Education Status, Luis Enrique Espinoza, Lucas Enrique Espinoza, Michaela Lanay Wilson, Tracy E. Denton

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective

The objective of this study was to determine the characteristics of adults with active asthma who were most likely to acquire self-management asthma component education.

Methods

We analyzed adult data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)-Asthma Call-back Survey (ACBS). Multivariate logistic regression and multivariate linear regression models were used to analyze the association between asthma self-management education and predictors.

Results

Adults who had health insurance (aB = 0.33 [SE = 0.15], p < .05), routine care visits (aB = 0.75 [SE = 0.08], p < .05) and hospitalization (aB = 0.50 [SE = 0.23], p < .05) reported higher asthma education scores. Adults aged 18-34 years were more likely to report inhaler use instruction (aOR = 3.9; 95% CI: 2.5-6.3, p < .05), than older adults aged 65 years and older. Having a formal education, being a woman, and being black increased the likelihood of having a higher self-management score.

Conclusion

Having health insurance, making routine visits, and having asthma episodes were associated with multiple asthma education components which ensures social justice. Asthma control …

Beyond America: Cross-National Context And The Impact Of Religious Versus Secular Organizational Membership On Self-Rated Health, Laura Upeniks, Steven L. Foy, Andrew Miles

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Studies using data from the United States suggest religious organizational involvement is more beneficial for health than secular organizational involvement. Extending beyond the United States, we assess the relative impacts of religious and secular organizational involvement on self-rated health cross-nationally, accounting for national-level religious context. Analyses of data from 33 predominantly Christian countries from the 2005–2008 World Values Survey reveal that active membership in religious organizations is positively associated with self-rated health. This association’s magnitude is higher than the magnitude of associations between many memberships in secular organizations and health. The positive association between involvement in religious organization and self-rated …

Generational Status And Views On Nonconforming Gender Expression Among Individuals Of Mexican Origin, Bianca C. Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Despite recent change of perspectives and an increase of acceptance of gender nonconformity, the concept of gender still remains a controversial topic. Gender continues to be a developing idea and maintains an influential role in many cultural contexts. Examining facets of gender in various settings can perhaps enlighten our comprehension of such and a further understanding of those who express gender nontraditionally. This study examines the concept of gender in a less traditional stance, exploring views of non-conforming gender expression among generations of Mexican Americans and individuals of Mexican origin. Through analysis of survey data on views of gender nonconformity …

Family Influences And Its Effects On Completion Of Postsecondary Education Among Hispanics, Marlee Olivarez

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I will examine the relationship between family influences and college graduation among Hispanics. Compared to students in other race/ethnic groups, Latino students are underrepresented in college enrollment and completion of a bachelor’s degree. Prior research generally finds that higher parental educational attainment is positively associated with educational attainment for children. Highly educated parents may expect their children to attain a similar level of education, have the resources to support higher education and provide encouragement and assistance necessary for children to successfully pursue post-secondary education. Yet, at the lower end of the educational distribution, the relationship between parental …