Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Surprise! You Are Accepted To College: An Analysis Of Idaho's Direct Admissions Initiative, Carson Howell

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to improve the rate at which Idahoans ‘go on’ to postsecondary education, Idaho launched an initiative called Direct Admissions in the fall of 2015. This initiative informed students and their parents that the student had already been accepted to at least six of Idaho’s public colleges and universities, even before the student had applied. Although the students still needed to apply, the letters guaranteed the student a seat at any of the colleges listed in their Direct Admissions letter. The goal of the initiative was to encourage students to enroll in one of Idaho’s public colleges or …

Primary Challengers: Examining Competition In U.S. House Primary Elections With Female Candidates, Savannah Nicole Renslow

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has established that voters and political elites hold gendered stereotypes toward female candidates. Additionally, traditional family roles and gendered expectations are found to affect the self-confidence of women and their political ambition. However, little is known about how potential challengers perceive women as candidates. To fill this gap, I examine whether the presence of a woman in a primary election influences the entry of prospective candidates. Are women perceived to be more vulnerable candidates, thus attracting more competition in primary elections?

To answer this, I estimate a negative binomial regression with primary election data for the U.S. House …

Factors Explaining Government Officials' Perceptions Of Citizen Engagement In The Municipal Strategic Planning Process, Michael Wallner

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Research has suggested that citizen engagement in local government decisions is important for sustaining democratic ideals. However, scholars are still working to understand how those responsible for organizing citizen engagement at the local level perceive such efforts. There has also been little work examining how citizen engagement is integrated in strategic planning processes at the municipal level of government. This study aims to address both gaps by investigating contemporary factors impacting government officials’ perceptions of citizen engagement in strategic planning processes. Collaborative Governance Theory (CGT) focuses on creating an environment where community members can develop, debate, and negotiate ideas or …

Gender Balance From Civil Strife, Wyndi Shaffner

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of conflict on the sociopolitical status of women in several affected countries. The conflicts analyzed within this work are both violent and non-violent. I infer that conflict acts as an impetus to propel gender equity. I utilize the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) dataset to determine which movements in women’s equality have been made over the preceding twelve years and reinforce that data analysis with qualitative information through case analysis to add context and meaning to the quantitative findings.

This work focuses on two of the four primary indicators of …

Principal Leaders And College And Career Readiness Programs, Inna Goretaya Polishchuk

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the intersection of high school principals and college and career readiness initiatives in five high school contexts. Because school principals are responsible for setting the vision in a school, college and career readiness initiatives have the potential to overlap significantly with the principal’s direction of the school. Moreover, studies indicate college and career readiness programs might rely on the active support of the school administrator if they are to succeed. What the school leader cares about tends to be what staff focus on; therefore, this study examines how three factors influence the effectiveness of a college and …

Keep Your Voice To Yourself: The Experiences Of Women Of Color In Higher Education, Shanna Hagenah

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This study provides insight into the experiences of women of color in higher education classrooms. Embracing recent literature on the politics of education, the double discrimination experienced by women of color, and the tenets of critical pedagogy, I engaged in qualitative interviews to gain insights into the experiences of women of color in higher education classrooms and reveal suggestions from women of color for improving their classroom experiences. The findings of this study reveal women of color experience appropriation of knowledge and bodies, acceptance of classroom ignorance, and social capital. Further, women of color suggest that if professors/instructors use explicit …

Perceptions Of Ecosystem Services In Rapidly Urbanizing Areas: A Case Study In Treasure Valley, Jenna Elena Narducci

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization poses complex challenges for balancing sustainable environmental management with human well-being. Many areas of the western US are experiencing rapid urbanization as people move to the region for a high quality of life. However, urbanization has major impacts on ecosystem services (ES), and therefore human well-being, making it important for decision-makers to understand the consequences and trade-offs that occur with urbanization. Given recent urbanization, the Boise Metropolitan Area, Idaho is a useful case study to explore a) differences in demand for ES between socio-demographic groups, b) perceptions of urbanization impacts to ES supply, and c) how those ES may …

Resilience And The U.S. Labor Market: A Cross-Scale Analysis On The Role Of Industrial Diversity And Specialization, Christian D. Sprague

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how the effects of industrial diversity and specialization vary across geographical scales and classification levels. The notion of a robust institutional design, in conjunction with a regional resilience framework, is used to model how diversity and modularity affect unemployment through-out economic cycles. We use fixed effects models on employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau in all available U.S. counties from 1998-2015. Key results suggest the optimal structure of industrial composition varies across scale, namely, that fine levels of industrial diversity are beneficial at higher levels of geographical scale (regions), whereas a broad …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Birthing Practices On Long-Term Health And Reproductive Outcomes From The 1970 British Cohort Study: Insights From Evolutionary Theory, Elizabeth Turner

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

A wealth of research has been amassed and continues to grow through efforts to understand the complex nature of the relationship between the colonization and development of the human gut microbiota, its influence on the development of the immune system, and its role in both health and disease. Since previous research has demonstrated early life conditions can influence the colonization and development of the human gut microbiota, it is critical to understand how circumstances around the birthing process affect long-term outcomes beginning at this crucial stage in our development. Using the 1970 British Cohort Study, this thesis examines the relationship …

Delinquency Predictors: Offending To Commitment, Kaitlyn M. Pederson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The United States processes millions of adolescents through the juvenile court system annually. Throughout these hearings and upon adjudication, it is ultimately up to a judge to decide the juvenile’s disposition. Although research on juvenile delinquency has identified a variety of factors linked to youth offending, research is limited in terms of variables predicting a juvenile’s dispositional outcome. The current study examined number of predictive variables for youth offending to determine if they also influence a juvenile being committed to state custody in Idaho. This analysis consists of pre-screen evaluations obtained by the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections. The factors …

Explaining Destination Countries Of Human Trafficking With Factors Relevant To Traffickers, Gabrielle Denae Boliou

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Awareness of human trafficking is increasing. This thesis aims to deepen our understanding of why traffickers prefer some countries over others as destination countries for their victims. Existing studies tend to neglect two elements when researching international human trafficking: factors that appeal to traffickers themselves and the significance of the country’s role in the international network as a destination country (rather than a source or transit country). In this thesis, I demonstrate that drug trafficking flows, legalized prostitution, and higher levels of corruption will appeal to traffickers and make countries more likely to be destination countries. I test this using …

A Matter Of Experience And Perception: Examining Corruption In Latin America, Nicolás Adrián Diaz

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The pervasive nature of corruption poses many challenges to nations. In particular, it can hamper progress and threaten stability. However, a citizen’s awareness of corruption is not exclusively based on encountering it personally. I claim that experience and perception of corruption are two distinct features, influencing an individual’s satisfaction with democracy. This study utilizes a mediation analysis to determine the impact of corruption, both experienced and perceived, on an individual’s satisfaction with democracy in Latin America. The statistical technique distinguishes the influence of experiencing corruption first-hand and having a high perception of it when determining a citizen’s support for democratic …

Repellant Beauty: A Rational Inquiry Into 21St Century Patented Lode Mine Use, John Gaeddert

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Rationalistic, incentive-based redevelopment objectives must comply with regulatory entitlement requirements that enmesh broader community goals. These community goals include site reclamation, environmental protection, and smart growth land use development measures. The focus of this dissertation is to better understand both the economic and community factors affecting the use of approximately 3,500,000 acres of patented lode mine (PLM) lands in the West. Study methods use a unique dataset compiled from BLM land patent documents, Idaho property assessment records, USGS mineral resource data, and GIS-derived surface estate measures to analyze effects of a set of jurisdictional, mineral estate, surface estate, and control …

Risk And Uncertainty Regarding Inuit Transportation In The Face Of Climate Change, Mitchell Brinton

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The evaluation and minimization of risk and uncertainty is an integral part of human decision-making. There are many strategies humans employ to help manage risk and uncertainty. One kind of strategy that has been important for Homo sapiens involves technological innovation. For example, the ancestors of contemporary Inuit developed the dogsled which was likely critical to their expansion into, and survival in, the harsh environments of the North American and Greenlandic maritime Arctic. Much like how the automobile replaced the horse, however, snow machines have all but replaced the dog team as the main transportation technology employed by today’s Inuit. …

Social Learning Biases In The Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine, Marie Denell Letourneau

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, the use of complementary and alternative medicine (usually referred to as CAM) has increased dramatically over the last three decades. However, theoretically informed explanations about why people decide to use CAM therapies are lacking. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is enough statistical evidence to justify additional research on the relationship between social learning and the decision to use CAM. Working on the assumption that people make decisions based on information they have or can obtain, I applied the concept of learning bias in order to examine the ways in which people …

Inviting Mindful Silence Into Pedagogy: Supporting Agency, Voice, And Critical Engagement Through Silence, Sarah Lausch

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Across pedagogical approaches, silence and speech are rarely recognized as equally important ways to demonstrate knowledge. Favoring speech in the classroom indicates a specific set of assumptions that shows what formal teaching and learning settings should look like. I will approach silence in this study as an opportunity to create space for silent voices and invisible notions of agency. Through an exhaustive literature search and interpretive review of how contemporary pedagogical approaches currently assess silence, I invite the concept of mindful silence into pedagogy as a way to better address the ways that silence - not just speech - can …

Invisible Dis/Abilities: To Disclose Or Not Disclose?, Julia Roma Broderick

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 56.7 million people currently live with a disability in the United States (United States Census Bureau, 2012). Many of these disabilities are invisible to others, which make disclosure necessary to gain support. Through the analysis of open-ended questionnaires, I investigated disclosure decision-making factors and outcomes for individuals living with invisible disabilities. Factors considered for disclosure included: (a) support; (b) fear of negative response; (c) perceived appropriateness; and (d) no choice or perceived obligation. Disclosure outcomes included: (a) relief; (b) closeness in relationship; (c) loss of relationship; (d) differential treatment; and (e) no change or negative outcome. Theoretically, the findings …

The Prevalence Of Mental Health Problems Among Detained Juveniles In Idaho, Lucas Donaldson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI-2) is an effective tool to quickly identify individuals entering the juvenile justice system that may be most in need of mental and behavioral health services. The MAYSI-2 measures potential disorder on seven subscales—Alcohol/Drug Use, Angry-Irritable, Depressed-Anxious, Somatic Complaints, Suicidal Ideation, Thought Disturbance, and Traumatic Experience. Although Juvenile Detention Centers in Idaho have been collecting MAYSI-2 data for approximately eight years, Idaho’s data has yet to be added to the body of literature documenting MAYSI-2 results. The current study describes the prevalence of mental health problems as measured by the MAYSI-2, utilizing data gathered between …

The Influence Of Rape Myth Acceptance On Self-Reported Perceptions Of Prostitution And Human Trafficking Among College Students, Eva Fontaine

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Adler (1975) contends that, over time, few things in society have changed less than sexual behavior, while few things have changed more than attitudes about sex. As such, myths pertaining to sex work, such as prostitution, human trafficking, and rape myths, support culturally reinforced attitudes that rationalize the sexual exploitation of sex workers (Cotton et al., 2002). Using a convenience sample and revised versions of the Human Trafficking Myths Scale (Cunningham & Cromer, 2016), Attitudes toward Prostitutes and Prostitution Scale (Levin & Peled, 2011), and Updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (McMahon & Farmer, 2011), the current study sought to …