Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

“We Need To Figure Out Who We Are”: Reframing Manhood In An Online Discussion Forum, Tomas Sanjuan Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I explore the potential of online communities in negotiating alternative forms of “doing” masculinity. I focus on the /r/bropill which is hosted on Reddit – home to thousands of active discussion forums called subreddits. I argue that the members of /r/bropill subreddit are attempting to redefine what it means to live your life not only as a man but as a “good man.” Using a purposive sample, I analyzed 24 discussions which totaled 1325 posts (n = 1325). I conducted a qualitative textual analysis of the original posts and comments inspired by grounded theory. My findings reveal …

An Experimental Analysis Of The Effect Of Crisis Response Message Strategies On Consumer Emotions, Perceptual Beliefs And Intended Behavior, Valentina Ahumada

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the different dynamics of consumer responses to crisis communication strategies employed by businesses during challenging situations. Focusing on emotions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions, the research explores the impact of denial, diminish, and apology crisis messages on consumers. Drawing on a comprehensive analysis of a crisis scenario, the study illuminates the intricate relationship between these strategies and consumer emotions such as anger, disgust, sadness, and happiness. The findings reveal nuanced patterns, demonstrating that while denial messages evoke strong negative emotions and unfavorable attitudes, diminish messages, when perceived as deflecting blame, can lead to mixed emotional responses and ambiguous …

An Experimental Analysis Of The Effect Of Crisis Response Message Strategies On Consumer Emotions, Perceptual Beliefs And Intended Behavior, Valentina Ahumada

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the different dynamics of consumer responses to crisis communication strategies employed by businesses during challenging situations. Focusing on emotions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions, the research explores the impact of denial, diminish, and apology crisis messages on consumers. Drawing on a comprehensive analysis of a crisis scenario, the study illuminates the intricate relationship between these strategies and consumer emotions such as anger, disgust, sadness, and happiness. The findings reveal nuanced patterns, demonstrating that while denial messages evoke strong negative emotions and unfavorable attitudes, diminish messages, when perceived as deflecting blame, can lead to mixed emotional responses and ambiguous …

“We Need To Figure Out Who We Are”: Reframing Manhood In An Online Discussion Forum, Tomas Sanjuan Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I explore the potential of online communities in negotiating alternative forms of “doing” masculinity. I focus on the /r/bropill which is hosted on Reddit – home to thousands of active discussion forums called subreddits. I argue that the members of /r/bropill subreddit are attempting to redefine what it means to live your life not only as a man but as a “good man.” Using a purposive sample, I analyzed 24 discussions which totaled 1325 posts (n = 1325). I conducted a qualitative textual analysis of the original posts and comments inspired by grounded theory. My findings reveal …

Improving Interview Skills Through Virtual Reality With Behavior Skills Training For Students With Disabilities, Garrit Dubois

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with disabilities experience lower employment rates compared to the general population, highlighting the need for interventions to enhance their employability. Interview skills are the most crucial skills to develop. Researchers have used behavioral skills training (BST) to improve vocal and non-vocal aspects of interviewee behavior. Additionally, virtual reality (VR) has been used to simulate the interview process and promote generalization of skills across various environments. However, limited research has investigated the use of VR for vocational skills training in students with disabilities, particularly those still enrolled in high school. This study aimed to examine the use of VR combined …

Online News Portrayal During The Covid-19 Health Crisis And Journalism's Role In Misinformation In The U.S., Michou Ducilon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a wealth of new information regarding the virus's origin and treatment. Regrettably, the vast amount of online information has resulted in the proliferation of misinformation, as the World Health Organization reported. To investigate whether journalists may have contributed to this problem, a qualitative analysis was conducted on 15 news articles from top-tier media outlets. Using NVivo software, the articles were analyzed to identify linguistic words and visuals that fell into coding categories based on Behrendt's (2008) contextual analysis for evaluating text. Each article was then coded again to identify common themes. During this process, new …

Online News Portrayal During The Covid-19 Health Crisis And Journalism's Role In Misinformation In The U.S., Michou Ducilon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a wealth of new information regarding the virus's origin and treatment. Regrettably, the vast amount of online information has resulted in the proliferation of misinformation, as the World Health Organization reported. To investigate whether journalists may have contributed to this problem, a qualitative analysis was conducted on 15 news articles from top-tier media outlets. Using NVivo software, the articles were analyzed to identify linguistic words and visuals that fell into coding categories based on Behrendt's (2008) contextual analysis for evaluating text. Each article was then coded again to identify common themes. During this process, new …

Improving Interview Skills Through Virtual Reality With Behavior Skills Training For Students With Disabilities, Garrit Dubois

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with disabilities experience lower employment rates compared to the general population, highlighting the need for interventions to enhance their employability. Interview skills are the most crucial skills to develop. Researchers have used behavioral skills training (BST) to improve vocal and non-vocal aspects of interviewee behavior. Additionally, virtual reality (VR) has been used to simulate the interview process and promote generalization of skills across various environments. However, limited research has investigated the use of VR for vocational skills training in students with disabilities, particularly those still enrolled in high school. This study aimed to examine the use of VR combined …

Evaluating Video Feedback To Improve Esports Performance In Street Fighter V, Romel C. White

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

eSports is a newly rising field with rapidly increasing cultural validity. Despite the wide array of similarities between eSports and traditional sports, behavioral skill acquisition interventions have yet to be applied to video game skills. Feedback-based behavioral interventions in particular have been commonly used and implemented for effective skill acquisition for traditional sports. Although video feedback has been established as effective in conjunction with video modeling for traditional sports, further research is needed to validate its efficacy as a standalone intervention. In this study, the effects of video feedback were analyzed with three participants in a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across …

Evaluating Video Feedback To Improve Esports Performance In Street Fighter V, Romel C. White

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

eSports is a newly rising field with rapidly increasing cultural validity. Despite the wide array of similarities between eSports and traditional sports, behavioral skill acquisition interventions have yet to be applied to video game skills. Feedback-based behavioral interventions in particular have been commonly used and implemented for effective skill acquisition for traditional sports. Although video feedback has been established as effective in conjunction with video modeling for traditional sports, further research is needed to validate its efficacy as a standalone intervention. In this study, the effects of video feedback were analyzed with three participants in a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across …

Quantifying The Effectiveness Of Night Vision Detection: A Comparative Study Of Visible Light, Night Vision, And Thermal Images, Feng Yeh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research presents a comprehensive assessment of night vision goggles and thermal imagers, with a particular emphasis on their performance under a wide range of environmental and temporal conditions. Field testing of these devices was carried out across diverse settings, including daytime, nighttime, and different environmental temperatures. Key evaluation metrics, such as contrast, recognition distance, and image clarity, were employed to assess device performance.

The findings reveal that while night vision goggles maintain consistent performance across various conditions, their image clarity and contrast are influenced by the recognition distance. Conversely, thermal imagers excel in cooler environments, successfully highlighting target objects, …

Quantifying The Effectiveness Of Night Vision Detection: A Comparative Study Of Visible Light, Night Vision, And Thermal Images, Feng Yeh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research presents a comprehensive assessment of night vision goggles and thermal imagers, with a particular emphasis on their performance under a wide range of environmental and temporal conditions. Field testing of these devices was carried out across diverse settings, including daytime, nighttime, and different environmental temperatures. Key evaluation metrics, such as contrast, recognition distance, and image clarity, were employed to assess device performance.The findings reveal that while night vision goggles maintain consistent performance across various conditions, their image clarity and contrast are influenced by the recognition distance. Conversely, thermal imagers excel in cooler environments, successfully highlighting target objects, yet …

Damned & Damned: Examining Vexatious Litigation And The Vexatious Litigant Statute In Florida Courts, Sarah L. Harper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines self-represented litigants subjected to limitations under the Vexatious Litigant statute (F.S. 68.093) and related case law. It draws data from official records, surveys, interviews with judges, and a thematic analysis of court orders. The present research consists of two studies: Study I focuses on the application of Florida's Vexatious Litigant statute and similar sanctions, and Study II explores judges' decision-making in cases involving challenging self-represented litigants. Restrictions on litigants' court access raise concerns about due process rights, and an assessment of the use of these sanctions and litigants' practices is vital for understanding their application. The findings …

A Psychometric Analysis Of Natural Language Inference Using Transformer Language Models, Antonio Laverghetta Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Large language models (LLMs) are poised to transform both academia and industry. But the excitement around these generative AIs has also been met with concern for the true extent of their capabilities. This dissertation helps to address these questions by examining the capabilities of LLMs using the tools of psychometrics. We focus on analyzing the capabilities of LLMs on the task of natural language inference (NLI), a foundational benchmark often used to evaluate new models. We demonstrate that LLMs can reliably predict the psychometric properties of NLI items were those items administered to humans. Through a series of experiments, we …

Damned & Damned: Examining Vexatious Litigation And The Vexatious Litigant Statute In Florida Courts, Sarah L. Harper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines self-represented litigants subjected to limitations under the Vexatious Litigant statute (F.S. 68.093) and related case law. It draws data from official records, surveys, interviews with judges, and a thematic analysis of court orders. The present research consists of two studies: Study I focuses on the application of Florida's Vexatious Litigant statute and similar sanctions, and Study II explores judges' decision-making in cases involving challenging self-represented litigants. Restrictions on litigants' court access raise concerns about due process rights, and an assessment of the use of these sanctions and litigants' practices is vital for understanding their application. The findings …

Clinically Applied Anthropology: A Syndemic Intervention., Jason W. Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation demonstrates that a critical, clinically applied anthropology is possible by testing a hypothesis that a syndemic intervention, and use of a structural vulnerability assessment tool, can achieve improved healthcare outcomes. A critical, clinically applied anthropology integrates social scientists into healthcare delivery, alongside biomedical providers, through the co-creation of new diagnostic and patient care pathways that utilize anthropological methods (ethnographically informed care, syndemics, thematic/mixed methods data analysis) and advance anthropological theory (biomedicine and culture, structural violence, structural competency/vulnerability, ontology, assemblage theory, and entanglements) to decrease healthcare inequities.

Medical anthropology has previously engaged biomedicine and other attempts at a clinical …

Clinically Applied Anthropology: A Syndemic Intervention., Jason W. Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation demonstrates that a critical, clinically applied anthropology is possible by testing a hypothesis that a syndemic intervention, and use of a structural vulnerability assessment tool, can achieve improved healthcare outcomes. A critical, clinically applied anthropology integrates social scientists into healthcare delivery, alongside biomedical providers, through the co-creation of new diagnostic and patient care pathways that utilize anthropological methods (ethnographically informed care, syndemics, thematic/mixed methods data analysis) and advance anthropological theory (biomedicine and culture, structural violence, structural competency/vulnerability, ontology, assemblage theory, and entanglements) to decrease healthcare inequities.

Medical anthropology has previously engaged biomedicine and other attempts at a clinical …

The Effect Of Psychopathy Trait Descriptions On Mock Juror Decision-Making, Bailey A. Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Layperson misconceptions and stigma surrounding mental illness can have devastating consequences in criminal trials, especially capital (death penalty) cases. Psychopathy is a particularly stigmatizing disorder often used as an aggravating factor in capital cases. The present experimental study examined how case vignettes that included descriptions of psychopathic traits (i.e., criterion effects) differentially influenced juror decision-making. Specifically, undergraduate participants read case facts about a convicted defendant and were randomly assigned to read one of five expert witness testimony conditions describing the defendant using: interpersonal-affective psychopathy traits (e.g., superficially charming, manipulative), antisocial-lifestyle traits (e.g., reckless, aggressive), combined interpersonal-affective and antisocial-lifestyle traits, or …

The Effect Of Psychopathy Trait Descriptions On Mock Juror Decision-Making, Bailey A. Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Layperson misconceptions and stigma surrounding mental illness can have devastating consequences in criminal trials, especially capital (death penalty) cases. Psychopathy is a particularly stigmatizing disorder often used as an aggravating factor in capital cases. The present experimental study examined how case vignettes that included descriptions of psychopathic traits (i.e., criterion effects) differentially influenced juror decision-making. Specifically, undergraduate participants read case facts about a convicted defendant and were randomly assigned to read one of five expert witness testimony conditions describing the defendant using: interpersonal-affective psychopathy traits (e.g., superficially charming, manipulative), antisocial-lifestyle traits (e.g., reckless, aggressive), combined interpersonal-affective and antisocial-lifestyle traits, or …

Communicating For Success: The Importance Of Fairness In Pre-Merger Communication, Correy Retzloff

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explores the complexities and influences of pre-merger communication on M&A outcomes from a stakeholder perspective, using the Fair Process Theoretical Framework. The study identified the following six key themes related to pre-merger communication broken down into two distinct categories: important aspects to employees, which include Open and Honest Communication, Engagement and Clarity, Participation and Collaboration, and best practices managers can implement, such as Undertake Fair and Engaging Communication, Prioritize Strategic and Cultural Communication, Ensure Effective and Compliant Communication. The study also found that effective pre-merger communication can positively influence perceptions of fairness in the merging process. These …

Selective Framing And Narrative As Anthropocentric Agents In Yellowstone: America’S Eden, Breanna Lee Hansen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Yellowstone: America’s Eden is but one example of nature documentaries tackling the complexities of nature-culture relationships during the age of the Anthropocene. Yellowstone National Park, the first to be named, is a primary example of how our relationship to the natural world developed through conservation and commodification. Yellowstone: America’s Eden demonstrates how film techniques conceal nature as a human construct through selective framing and narrative. By analyzing editing techniques made in the representation of Yellowstone National Park, this thesis bridges anthropocentrism to nature documentaries. Drawing on interdisciplinary research from media studies, environmental humanities, and anthropology, this thesis analyzes the ways …

Police Officers’ Perceptions Of Gunshot Detection Technology, Courtney L. Weber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prior research has shown that police officers’ perceptions has an influence on technological advancement implementation into an agency. Prior gunshot detection technology (GST) research has looked at how effective the technology is at decreasing response times, bringing gunfire to the attention of police, and tracking gun crime trends in the jurisdiction. However, it remains unknown whether police officers support the use of GST technology, and whether they feel that there is sufficient training and support available to them to utilize GST effectively. Therefore, this thesis aims to address several central questions regarding police officers’ perceptions of GST, their support for …

Examining Treatment Differences In Anxiety Disorders And Body-Focused Repetitive And Related Disorders In A Pediatric Clinic Sample, Katrina Scarimbolo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health concerns that affect youth. It is estimated about 9.4% of youth have an anxiety disorder such as panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder or specific phobias (CDC, 2022). The present study includes obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder as a part of the definition of anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders can be comorbid with many mental health conditions. The focus of this study was on the comorbidity between anxiety disorders and body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) and related disorders. BFRBs are behaviors that involve repeated picking, …

Using Active Student Responding And Competition Via Kahoot! To Improve Student Academic Engagement At College Level, Brittany Pearson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Active student responding (ASR) is an effective intervention used in schools to improve student engagement and academic performance. Among the various ASR modalities, online applications have received much more attention than low-tech ASR modalities due to the widespread use of smartphones and the availability of mobile applications. One totable online application is Kahoot!, which offers a range of interactive features. Considering the limited existing research on using ASR at the college level, particularly, using Kahoot!, this study examined the use of Kahoot! to improve academic engagement in college students. The study was conducted with one undergraduate class in applied behavior …

Exploration Of Shared Passenger Urban Air Mobility – Integrated Network Design, Operation Scheduling And System Configuration, Zhiqiang Wu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Urban air mobility (UAM) is an emerging concept proposed in recent years that uses electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs). UAM is expected to offer an alternative way of transporting passengers and goods in urban areas with significantly improved mobility by making use of low-altitude airspace. Considering the high capital investment of eVTOLs and relative high fee of using UAM passenger service, a viable UAM format is shared passenger service. Such a service is usually station-based, i.e., with vertiport located in popular sites where potential passengers can access. To understand the viability of such use cases, the vertiport owners …

Supervision Needs At 2 And 5 Years Post Traumatic Brain Injury: A Veterans Affairs Tbi Model Systems Study, Deveney M. K. Ching

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study assessed the supervision needs, with the Supervision Rating Scale [SRS] (Boake, 1996) of Veterans and Service Members enrolled in the Veterans' Affairs (VA) Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (TBIMS) at 2- and 5-year follow-ups after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). A cross sectional analysis was conducted at 2-year follow-up (N=428) where it was found that 35% of subjects still needed supervision. At 5-year follow-up (N=295) it was found that 32% of subjects needed supervision. Finally, a multilevel model of supervision (N=164) found that the relationship of supervision needs remains a constant linear line over the …

Detection Of Subsidence In West-Central Florida Using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry And Near-Surface Geophysics, Tonian R. Robinson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three studies that employ Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI, also known as PSInSAR) to better understand how subsidence in west-central Florida relates to underlying geological processes. In the first study, near-surface geophysical methods (Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electrical Resistivity (ERT)), terrestrial remote sensing applications (Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Structure from Motion (SfM)), and PSI were used to monitor the spatial and temporal behaviors of a suspected growing sinkhole in the Sandhill Boyscout Reservation, Hernando County, Florida. The survey area was located within and around a topographic low assumed to be the surface of the …

From Other And From World: Expanding The Current Model Of Existential Isolation, Roger Young Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Extant research investigating the nature of existential isolation (EI) has focused primarily on the experience of the gap between one’s mind and the minds of others (self-other EI). The general purpose of the current research was to begin exploring the experience of the gap between one’s mind and the world (self-world EI). This purpose was carried out across three studies. A pilot study confirms that self-world EI is a relatively common experience that usually involves meaning violation or dissociation, and results in psychological discomfort and self-doubt. Study 1 found that self-world existential isolation produces more “EI affect” (e.g., nervous, afraid, …

The Relationships Between L1, Writing Quality, And Complexity, Accuracy, And Fluency In L2 Writing, Tuc C. Chau

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current dissertation is to map the relationships between first language (L1), writing quality, and syntactic complexity, accuracy, lexical complexity, and fluency (CALF) in second language (L2) writing. CALF are characteristics of language production that have been of significant interest in L2 writing research for the past few decades. Though they have been extensively studied as dependent variables that may vary as a function of other factors, they have been rarely studied together, much less in relation to L1 as an independent variable. Thus, this study explored the effects of L1 and writing quality, operationalized as score …

Examining Patient Satisfaction And Treatment Effectiveness For Hispanic Adolescents Receiving Intensive Mental Health Services For Depression, Myesha M. Morgan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Behavioral Activation (BA) is a treatment approach that has demonstrated promising outcomes for the adolescent population (Martin & Oliver, 2019). However, more studies are needed to examine its effectiveness with Hispanic adolescents. The prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms tend to be higher among Hispanic adolescents in comparison to their non-Hispanic White peers (Pratt & Brody, 2014). In addition, depressive symptoms are associated with poor social, academic, and later health outcomes (Naicker et al., 2013; Owens, Stevenson, Hadwin, 2012). Given the lack of prior investigations on the effectiveness of BA for Hispanic adolescents, this study aimed to fill a gap …