Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Hispanic Demographics In Cobb County, Ga, Cole Thompson

Symposium of Student Scholars

This research was part of the Direct Applied Research (DAR) GIS: 4100 course. This research was in partnership with the Marietta Museum of History. The objective was to display Hispanic Demographics in Cobb County. Areas focused include education, population, and community. The analysis concluded similar trends in all three topics. Hispanic enrollment has gradually increased in Cobb County public high schools since 2011. High schools with the highest percentage of Hispanic enrollment were located close to interstates or in the southern region of Cobb. The population analysis concluded that zip codes 30008 and 30060 had the highest percentage of Hispanics …

Make Your Wishes Known: Understanding The Challenges And Barriers For Providing Effective Ethics Consults To Low-Income African American Men, Ruth Nwefo

Symposium of Student Scholars

The distrust of the U.S. health care system is prevalent, especially within the African American (AA) community. This distrust is largely based on infamous cases such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment and experiments conducted by James Marion Sims on slave women without anesthesia. While these experiments along with many others further advanced medicine, they severed trust between health care institutions and the African American community, bringing upon repercussions still felt today. Although many steps have been taken to rebuild trust in the health care system by establishing effective ethical guidelines, more needs to be done in terms of rebuilding the …

A Look Into The History Of Racial Diversity In The Congregation Of The Cathedral Of Christ The King, Devlin Mcelrone

Symposium of Student Scholars

This paper aims to assess the history of the Cathedral of Christ the King, a Catholic church in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, in terms of diversity. The main goal of this paper is to investigate the diversity of the church congregation in terms of race, while also focusing to a lesser extent on socioeconomic background and age. The area the church is in is primarily composed of upper-middle-class white families and it was through this observation that I came upon this topic. To investigate this issue, the first method used was spot sampling and constant monitoring of the congregation …

Haves Versus Have Nots: Analyzing Swift Creek Ceramic Distribution Within The Middle Woodland Etowah River Valley, Isabella Rosinko, Morgan Bendzinski

Symposium of Student Scholars

Swift Creek Culture refers to prehistoric Native American peoples of Florida and Georgia who produced a distinctive type of pottery, called Swift Creek Complicated Stamped, dating from 20 BC to AD 805. This Middle Woodland pottery type can be identified by curved geometric decorations stamped onto clay with a wooden paddle. Swift Creek Complicated Stamped pottery was widely traded across the Eastern Woodlands among high-status individuals and is therefore regarded as a prestige item. The preeminent Swift Creek site of the Etowah River Valley during the Middle Woodland is the Leake site. At the Leake site, there were three conical …

Understanding Map Reading With Eye Motion Tracking, Luke Freiler

Symposium of Student Scholars

Digital maps have become an integral part of people’s daily lives, helping to convey numerous kinds of vital information. As the popularity of digital maps has increased, the ways that they are both created and understood have evolved. This project’s goal is to analyze how people view and interpret digital maps and in turn gain a better understanding of how to create more impactful maps. Digital maps are used differently from physical maps, and therefore require different approaches to their creation.

Eye tracking hardware and software from Pupil Labs was used to record students while viewing a series of maps. …

Kill Zones And Their Use During The American Civil War: An Archaeological Review Of The Battle Of Pickett’S Mill, Jeremy Wolfe

Symposium of Student Scholars

While not well known in the list of battles during the Atlanta Campaign late in the American Civil War, it is marked as an overwhelming Confederate victory in the face of looming defeat in the war itself. With the Union suffering nearly two thousand casualties, the tactics and strategies used by the Confederate army no doubt aided in their victory. During the battle, Union soldiers were drawn into a ravine where Confederate soldiers could easily fire down on them. The Union men followed the ravine up into a flat area where they were then fired on again with accurate rifle …

Effects Of Essential Oils On Shelter Dog Behavior, Madison Pattillo

Symposium of Student Scholars

Shelter environments are stressful for dogs due to loud noises and unfamiliar surroundings. Dogs rely heavily on scent information, and exposure to some scents has shown reductions in activity and vocalizations in shelter dogs. We investigated the effects of two calming (lavender and vetiver) and two stimulating (lemon and rosemary) essential oils on crate position and active, resting, and stress behaviors. Observations were conducted for 5-min intervals eight times per week, with observations split between baseline and scent exposure. Our preliminary analysis using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test found that dogs exposed to lavender (n = 13), lemon (n = 9), …

A Pilot Study Investigating Adopted Children’S Cultural Identity From Adopting Parents’ Perspective, Alyssa Mcveigh

Symposium of Student Scholars

Adopted children are faced with challenges of identity and a sense of belonging within their adopted family and environments. Research regarding adopted children suggests that their cultural identity is developed by the experiences they have within their biological culture such as, participating in holidays, meeting individuals who are from the same background or visiting their biological country. The goal of this pilot study was to explore the perspectives of adopting parents on their adopted children's cultural identity development, laying a foundation for the next study that will examine adopted children’s (college students) perspective. Ten adopting parents from The United States …

Student Loan Debt Impacts On Choosing A Field Of Study, Lance Mcgonigle

Symposium of Student Scholars

Student Loan Debt Impacts on Choosing a Field of Study

Abstract

Lance McGonigle – Email: [email protected]

Student loan debt has been steadily rising over the last handful of decades, and many students who take these loans have little to no knowledge about the financial challenges that these loans can bring. This research is aimed to understand how student loan debt impacts a students’ field of study choice during their time as a college student, or if this has any affect at all. In doing a qualitative, humanistic study; exploratory research was conducted using inductive reasoning along with the use of …

Impact Of Human Presence And Visual Access On Barking Behavior In Shelter Dogs, Emily W. Dowling, Jessie A. Catchpole, Christina M. Walthers, Madison J. Pattillo

Symposium of Student Scholars

Shelters can be stressful for dogs due to lack of predictability and control, social isolation, and busy environments. Providing dogs with more social opportunities and environmental predictability may improve their welfare. Barking may indicate stress and contribute to noise levels that are harmful to dogs and people. We investigated the impact of human presence and line of sight on barking. We manipulated line of sight by partially removing a crate barrier to allow the dogs visual access to other dogs and a better view of the room. We collected data on barking on 17 focal dogs as well as overall …

Anti-Vaxxers: Parents Fighting Science, Katie West

Symposium of Student Scholars

Immunizing children helps protect the health of our community, especially those people who cannot be immunized. Yet, since 1996 after a study was released that linked autism to vaccinations, there has been a trend of parents refusing to vaccinate their children. What are the demographics of the parents who believe their children are better off without vaccines? By knowing where these parents live and what decisions they make for their children’s education, counties and medical professionals can provide education and address their concerns.

My research involves data on 116,141 kindergarten classes from 2000-2015 in California. The two vaccine exemption options …

Why Does An Ex-Offender Reoffend?, Jacob Rybak

Symposium of Student Scholars

What leads to an offender to go back to prison? Iowa has collected data tracking recidivism to evaluate the effectiveness of its programs for released offenders. This data set includes the following for all of the offenders: age groups, type of release (parole vs being discharged at the end of their sentence), race, sex, year of release, supervising district, original offense, and whether they recidivated. For the offenders who return to prison, the data set includes measures on days to return, type of recidivism (technicality or new crime), and what the specific offense was that caused their return.

In the …

On The Front Lines Of Fire: How Do We Save Their Lives?, Cathrine Jatta

Symposium of Student Scholars

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that the United States depends on about 1.1 million firefighters to protect its citizens and property from fire. NIOSH adds that approximately 336,000 are career firefighters; 812,000 are volunteers; and 80 to 100 die in the line of duty each year. NIOSH investigates each fatality individually for the cause and prevention. In contrast, my research will look at a complete dataset of 2005 firefighter fatalities and see if any of the following variables may predict firefighter death: age, cause of death, property type, type of duty (e.g. on-duty, training), and …

Investigating The Effects Of Wording On Perceptions Of Online Dog Adoption Advertisements, Sarah Barker

Symposium of Student Scholars

Investigating the Effects of Wording on Perceptions of Online Dog Adoption Advertisements

Sarah M. Barker1, Allison L. Martin1, Angela S. Kelling2, Megan L. Wilson3 , & Suma Mallavarapu1

1 Department of Psychological Science, Kennesaw State University

2 Department of Psychology, University of Houston Clear-Lake

3 Department Psychology, Georgia State University

Abstract

Dog adoption advertisements provide important behavioral and physical information about each dog to potential adopters. As potential adopters increasingly use the internet to find their next pet (Workman & Hoffman, 2015), online adoption advertisements have become an important part of the pet adoption process. Online adoption advertisements vary considerably …

Eradicating Zebra Mussels: What Works?, Elijah Davies

Symposium of Student Scholars

The invasion of U.S lakes and rivers by the invasive species of zebra mussels called Dreissena polymorpha has caused catastrophic harm to the local ecosystem by reproducing and outcompeting native mussel species as well as harm to pipes leading into water sources by binding to surfaces and reproducing to the point that the mussels clog pipes. In addition, recreation areas must be closed due to the sharp shells making areas unusable. In the past, research has focused on individual molluscicides and their eradication of zebra mussels, as well as their effect on native flora and fauna. My research will contrast …

Urban Food Policy, Planning, And Security: A Location Analysis And Potential Impacts Of Creating Community Gardens In Dekalb County, Ga, Artis Trice

Symposium of Student Scholars

As food insecurity grows in complexity, the methods used to combat it must also evolve. In the Atlanta metropolitan area, direct community engagement and partnerships have led to the creation of small community garden and urban agriculture operations on public lands. However, food insecurity continues to be a problem, particularly in low-income areas where resources are fewer, such as areas within DeKalb County, Georgia. This project seeks to understand ways in which integrating food policy and planning into existing green infrastructure can mitigate issues related to food insecurity in DeKalb County and considers the following questions: How can food policy …

The Impact Of Reinforcer Preference And Variation On Response Rates In Preschool-Aged Children, Jason M. Aldridge

Symposium of Student Scholars

The Impact of Reinforcer Preference and Variation on

Response Rates in Preschool-Aged Children

J. Malachi Aldridge1, Allison L. Martin1, Alicia K. Mitchell2

1. Kennesaw State University

2. Appleseeds Behavioral Center

In the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, tangible items (i.e. toys) are often used to help learners meet goals in academic, social, and adaptive living skills. While use of high preference reinforcers has been linked to improved performance, repeated use of a single item can cause satiation and reduce effectiveness. Using a variety of reinforcers can allow therapists to minimize these satiation effects (Bowman et al., 1997; Koehler & Iwata, …

Laryngeal Vocals In Old World Locals: Air Sacs Usage In Bonobos, Chelsea Trenbeath

Symposium of Student Scholars

Except for humans, extant great apes have evolutionarily conserved lateral ventricular air sacs extending from laryngeal saccules. Humans are the only species of Hominidae that lack this anatomical feature attached to the primary vocal apparatus. As we are the only species that produces spoken language, this association has led to hypothesis that the loss of lateral ventricular air sacs was necessary for the evolution of spoken language. However, why these sacs are conserved in all other hominids remains unclear. Computer modeling has indicated that air sacs may increase resonance properties, but there are no data from great apes indicating which …

A Journey Of Success: Italy’S Welcoming Of Jeep Into The Fiat Family, Madison Griffin

Symposium of Student Scholars

The following Theory Application Paper examined the unique cultural acquisition of Jeep by the Italian automotive giant Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (FIAT) Chrysler Automobiles. The CELM cultural analysis model (Gao, 2013) was used to examine the culture, business environment, consumer lifestyle and mentality that allowed an “All-American” vehicle to find a new home in the Italian market. The use of the CELM model gives an in depth look at the culture of Italian business practices and what drives Italian consumers to participate in the market. The ultimate purpose of this research was to acquire the knowledge of successful tactics used …

Children Coping With Domestic Violence, Sammie Fairbanks

Symposium of Student Scholars

No abstract provided.

Examining The Relationship Between African-Americans And Their Physicians, Genesis Weever

Symposium of Student Scholars

For years, there has been a bad history amongst the relationship between African-Americans and their fellow medical institutions. Many African-Americans do not believe that medical professionals have their best interest at heart. Oftentimes, their white counterparts may receive better care, even when they have the same condition. Many African-Americans may even face barriers that their white counterparts will not experience, and will be denied access to healthcare. This results in more deaths and critical illnesses of African-Americans. In order to discover the underlying problem and a possible solution, a review of the literature was initiated. Using a literature matrix and …

Children Coping With Domestic Violence, Sammie Fairbanks

Symposium of Student Scholars

Children Coping With Domestic Violence

According to the national domestic violence hotline (2020), domestic violence “(also referred to as intimate partner violence (IPV), dating abuse, or relationship abuse) is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship” (National Domestic Violence Hotline, 2020). Domestic Violence is everywhere and unfortunately does not discriminate. Cherokee Family Violence Center is a nonprofit organization working towards ending domestic violence. Their mission is “to enhance the safety of those impacted by intimate partner violence through services that empower victims while advocating for a community …

I. Using Social Media To Promote Awareness Of Hiv And Aids In Children: Education And Community Resources, Savannah Barnett

Symposium of Student Scholars

In this day and age, social media is critical to the success of a company whether it be for-profit or nonprofit. Eighty (80) percent of nonprofits use Facebook and 70 percent use Twitter worldwide which means that agencies who opt not to use social media are missing out on free to low-cost advertising and community engagement/ awareness (Domingues, Lopez, & Astudillo, 2016). No matter the business model or tax status, the way a company gains social media attention stays consistent in terms of what to post, how often, and the overall aesthetic and graphics that go along with the posts. …

The Effects Of Olfactory Enrichment On Shelter Dog Behavior, Madison J. Pattillo, Lauren N. Mitchell, Jessica A. Catchpole, Allison L. Martin

The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research

Shelter environments are stressful for dogs due to loud noises and unfamiliar surroundings. Previous research showed that exposure to some scents resulted in reductions in activity and vocalizations in shelter dogs. We investigated the effects of two calming (lavender and vetiver) and two stimulating (lemon and rosemary) essential oils on crate position and active, resting, and stress behaviors. There were 8, 5-min observations conducted each week per dog, split between baseline and scent exposure. Our analysis using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test found that dogs exposed to lavender (n = 13), lemon (n = 10), rosemary (n = …

Racial And Socioeconomic Disparities Influencing Obesity Amongst Middle-Aged Women, Morgan Woods

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Many studies have examined the effects of racial and socioeconomic differences on health-related disparities involving obesity but, few have examined the mental and physical well-being intersection. Obesity is a disease that affects many Americans and has become an epidemic affecting the American population. Obesity, especially morbid obesity, is a risk factor for many other obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and more. Using the 2018 Healthcare Avoidance Study, differences were found between two racial groups, Caucasian and African-American women. Race was found as a significant factor for both level of physical activity and ideal body image perception

Sound Of “Di” Police: Community Policing And Crime Abatement In Post-Colonial Jamaica, Bradley Gardner

Doctor of International Conflict Management Dissertations

Abstract

In 2007, the third largest island in the Caribbean, Jamaica, implemented a policing strategy known as community policing. With a population of just over 2.9 million, Jamaica is listed as number 10 out of 20 of the most dangerous places in the world. Additionally, the IMF has listed crime as the number one impediment to the country’s economic growth. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between community policing in Jamaica, and the number of crimes committed in its local communities. Particularly, this study analyzed the relationship between Community Policing activities and the number of homicides, …

Assembly And Maintenance Required: The Institutional Work Supporting Court-Connected Mediation Programs, Vittorio Indovina

Doctor of International Conflict Management Dissertations

In the past few decades, many courts in U.S. implemented mediation programs to offer disputing parties a cost-effective alternative to litigation and reduce the caseload of overcrowded courts, and such programs gained the global community's interest. This qualitative research study sheds lights on the institutional work needed to maintain court-connected mediation program. Its main assumption is that court-connected mediation programs, like many other institutions, are not self-reproducing institutions. Supportive activities are always required to maintain institutions over time. Through the lens of the institutional work scholarship, this study collects and analyzes data from thirty-two semi-structured interviews of court-connected mediation program …

Disease, Development, And Disorder: Examining The Effect Of Health On Subnational Development And Conflict In Sub-Saharan Africa, Dlorah C. Jenkins

Doctor of International Conflict Management Dissertations

Progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been uneven across and within countries - particularly in Africa, least developed countries, and low-income countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened to reverse much of the progress made towards achieving the SDGs, especially SDG 3, which aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”.

The tendency for disease, underdevelopment, and conflict to occur concomitantly suggests potential causal mechanisms linking them. This study attempts to address two pieces of the puzzle: the causal effect of disease on underdevelopment and the impact of development on conflict risk. Focusing …

No Soldier Left Behind? Breaking The Silence On Military Service, Values And Identity In Israel, Lina Tuschling

Doctor of International Conflict Management Dissertations

This dissertation explores the relationship between observed incidents and perceptions of value violation or confirmation among Israeli soldiers. Through content analysis of 900 testimonies, the work explores the intersection of social identity, military ethics and nonviolent movements. The data show that many soldiers do not see their tasks as supporting the overall mission of keeping their country and nation safe, leading to a decline in motivation and sense of purpose. Further, deeper reflections on whether actions on the ground are in line with proposed national values result in incidents of role conflict, individual cognitive dissonance and vicarious dissonance.

Findings from …

Just A Few Miles South: Timeless Recipes From Our Favorite Places, J. W. Mcree

The Southeastern Librarian

Just a Few Miles South: Timeless Recipes from Our Favorite Places. Ouita Michel. Edited by Sara Gibbs and Genie Graf. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2021. ISBN: 9781950564095 200 p. $24.95 (Hbk)