Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Inside Research: An Interview With Quinn Lambert, Laura Guebert

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Inside Research: An interview with Quinn Lambert

Conducted by Laura Guebert, co-editor, Steeplechase

Date recorded: May 4th, 2017

Recording Location: Department of Music Recording Studio

2nd floor Doyle Fine Arts, Murray State University, Murray, KY

Disaster And Recovery: The Effects Of Post-Disaster Aid On Economic Development, Joshua M. Drouin

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

The effects of aid on economic development is topic typically studied from the perspective of corruption and allocative efficiency. We examine aid to less developed nations from a different viewpoint; assuming aid reaches the intended recipients, does it actually benefit them? We utilize Indonesia and the 2004 earthquake and tsunami as a natural experiment to observe the influx of aid, and compare the regions development before and after the disaster. By establishing a baseline before the disaster, and utilizing a new start point after the destruction, we can gauge the reconstruction efforts and observe whether aid is beneficial or harmful. …

Oral History In A Journalism Course: Sharing Stories And Reporting News About Public Education In Kentucky, Rochele Rosa

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Oral history as a method of gathering information is nothing new. However, in journalism, the method is gaining acceptance as a new, enriching way to report news, showing how issues and topics impact people.

The Murray State University JMC 397 Reporting for Print Media class recorded community oral history as part of an intensive focus on education reporting in fall 2017. Although many facets of the education “beat” were explored, students devoted much of the semester investigating and reporting the issues and challenges facing public education in Kentucky, from the K-12 to higher education levels. For the project to become …

Creating Spaces Revisited: Students' Perspectives On International And Multi(Inter)Cultural Public Relations Education, Kiaya Young

Scholars Week

In a global market employees need the skills to be able to work in a multicultural market. International public relation skills are becoming a necessity. Public Relations practitioners are educated on various fundamental skills through their educational programs, but there has been a lack of international and multi(inter)cultural education. This paper is a restudy of Nilajana Bardhan’s 2003 study Creating Spaces for International and Multi(inter)cultural Perspectives in Undergraduate Public Reactions Education.

Sipx: Implementing A Coursepack Solution, Cris Ferguson, Bentley Utgaard

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of The Strengths And Needs Of Rural Social Workers In The Northwestern United States, Jon William Talebreza-May, Rachel Jensen, Nathan Shay

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Although rural social work continues to be on the fringe of social work practice in the United States, a committed group of practitioners work to update and expand upon current knowledge (Lohmann & Lohmann, 2005). Studies have been carried out across the country as to the state of rural social work practice, the unique barriers and strengths that come from this line of work, as well as the problems that lead social work to be necessary in rural areas (Daley, 2015; Lohman & Lohmann, 2005; Mackie et al., 2016). Though well-researched in the United States, examination of rural social work …

Book Review: Social Work Practice For Promoting Health And Wellbeing: Critical Issuesbook Review, Denise Raven

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Book Review: Liz Beddoe and Jane Maidment (Eds.) 2014 New York, New York: Routledge Press 280 pages Softcover: $52.95 US ISBN-13: 978-0-415-53521-2

Book Review: The Small-Town Midwest: Resilience And Hope In The Twenty-First Century, Peter A. Kindle

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Book Review: Julianne Couch 2016 Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa Press 233 pages Paperback: $35.00

Childhood Obesity: A Survey Of The Nutrition And Physical Activity Components Of The Coordinated School Health (Csh) Program In Rural Tennessee, Courtney Nichole Haun, Zachary Mahafza, Aj Good, Victor Nettey

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

With the rise in childhood overweight and obesity rates in the United States, understanding the issue has become of mainstay importance. This study provides insight into the nutritional knowledge and related health perceptions of parents’ whose children have participated in a Coordinated School Health (CSH) program in rural Tennessee. Surveys were distributed between two elementary grade level school systems in Washington County, Tennessee, to serve the need of interpreting the knowledge, values, and ideas on childhood health regarding CSH program effectiveness. While our findings across both schools revealed moderate levels of parental knowledge on health and nutritional issues, we also …

From The Editor, Peg Munke

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

No abstract provided.

Don’T Get The Epizootus! Challenges And Promises Of Modern Rural Health Care, Michael Daley

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Rural communities face a crisis in terms of access, funding for health care, and the overall health needs of these communities. There are also shortages of health care professionals in rural areas. As national priorities shift away from health care to border security, small towns may be hard pressed to meet their residents’ health care needs. Professional advocacy for rural people to address these issues is recommended.

Gullah Geechee Families: Land And Culture, Lisa Moore

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

The legacy of Black land ownership and cultural autonomy is not a well-known narrative of Black history in the United States, which is reflected in the dearth of material addressing these legacies. This history presents a narrative of Black rural life in the United States that offers rural social work professionals another framework to understand the legacies of fictive kin and collective values often overlooked when engaging Black families and communities. Gullah/Geechee families represent a narrative of Black life in the United States that reflects the power of being left with opportunities to develop a culture and tradition of collective …

In Memoriam: Rip Barry Lane Locke, Peg Munke

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

No abstract provided.

Maneuverability Experiences Faced By Individuals Who Use Wheelchairs In Rural Settings: A Qualitative Analysis, Kaycee Lynn Bills

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

People who have never been in a wheelchair do not understand how difficult simple tasks such as going to work, school, or completely daily living tasks can be. Many studies have discussed the experiences of those who use wheelchairs for mobility. This study qualitatively examines the daily experiences those who use wheelchairs face, despite the advances in policies to accommodate for people who have disabilities. The purpose of this study was to address this social problem by interviewing those who use wheelchairs in order to identify the day-to-day challenges that these individuals face. The sample derived from young adults living …

Perception Of Bullying In A Rural Independent School District: A Survey Of Pal Students, Edward Randle, Deneece Ferrales, Shaquita Scott

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

The objective of this study was to explore students’ perceptions of bullying in intermediate (fifth and sixth grades) and middle school (seventh and eighth grades) students in a rural school in southern Texas. Analysis of student-led and student-developed surveys provided a description of 271 student responses. The results are consistent with previous research but raise some questions about how students perceive bullying and how they perceive themselves or others as victims, bullies, or witnesses.

Social Workers’ Evidence-Based Practice Use And Challenges In Rural Environments: A Systematic Review, Mingun Lee

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Over the past decade, the demand for Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in the social work field has increased. Previous studies indicate that EBP promotes clinical decision making based on current best evidence and decreases the use of ineffective interventions. However, social workers still face a variety of barriers to become evidence-based practitioners. Particularly, social workers practicing in rural areas face increased barriers to make use of evidence in practice. This study conducted a systematic review of current literature to find evidence related to social workers’ use of EBP and their barriers in rural settings. Reviews were limited to social work studies …

Sex Trafficking And Rural Communities: A Review Of The Literature, Ruby Aguirre, Katelyn Harris, Molly Rose Hilgenberg, Melody Soper, Pamela H. Bowers

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Sex trafficking is a pervasive threat across the globe and all fifty states of the United States, especially for underage female youth. However, there is a dearth of literature and awareness in domestic rural areas. Sex trafficking is a form of human trafficking that threatens all communities, including rural areas. This extended literature review looks closely at recent studies, and the grey literature to garner a better understanding of the implications for rural social work practice. The review concludes with recommendations and implications for future research, policy, and practice.

Rural Social Work: Recruitment, Job Satisfaction, Burnout, And Turnover, Aaron Raymond Brown, Jayme Walters, Aubrey Jones, Omotola Akinsola

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Rural agencies have unique challenges related to recruitment and retention of social workers. A systematic literature review was conducted to examine job satisfaction, burnout and turnover among rural social workers. Based on 28 included articles, results indicate: (a) rural social workers tend to be from rural areas or have completed training in rural settings; (b) poor job satisfaction predicts turnover among rural social workers; (c) rural vs. urban differences for satisfaction, burnout, intention to leave, and turnover are mixed; and (d) greater work-life balance and supervisory support increase retention among rural social workers. This study provides recommendations for informing education, …

Use Of Evidence-Based Practice To Enhance Decision-Making In Rural Child Welfare Practiceuse Of Evidence-Based Practice To Enhance Decision-Making In Rural Child Welfare Practice, Karen Rice

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Child welfare practitioners need to ensure they employ effective decision-making when implementing services to families at risk for abuse and/or neglect of their children. Utilizing a structured decision making process, specifically an evidence-based process, may enhance case outcomes (Hagermoser-Sanetti, & Kratochwill, 2009). Evidence-based practice is an attempt to bridge the gap between research and practice (Hagell, & Spencer, 2004). Evidence-based practice (EBP) is defined as a “process that blends current best evidence, community values and preferences, and agency, societal, and political considerations in order to establish programs and policies that are effective and contextualized” (Regehr, Stern, & Shlonsky, 2007, p. …

Working With Latinos In Rural Communities: “Nuts And Bolts”, Wilma Cordova, Aparecida De Fátima Cordeiro Dutra

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Latinos currently compromise 16% of the entire U.S. population and 9.3% live in rural areas ((U.S. Census, 2010). These current percentages indicate that most social workers will work with this population at least once during their careers. Therefore, it is important that social workers develop skills and knowledge to work effectively with Latinos. Working with Latinos in our current sociopolitical climate poses many challenges for social workers working in rural areas. However, if social workers adhere to the guidelines and standards initially established by the profession and implement best practices many of their efforts will be successful. This chapter aims …

Body Language In The Classroom: Effects Of Gesturing, Maia Rolfe

Scholars Week

Body Language in the Classroom: Effects of Gesturing

This study was designed to give some insights into how body language could interact with teaching. This study tested if active gesturing (pointing) had an effect on the amount of a story that was remembered and on how likable someone who is presenting the story was perceived as being. Male and female participants watched a female presenter read a short story projected on a screen while either pointing to key words or not pointing. Then they wrote down as much of the story as they could remember and rated the likeability of …

Autistic Traits And Executive Functioning, Meagan Smith

Scholars Week

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a term used to encompass all of the varying degrees of the developmental disorder known as Autism. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder struggle with areas of executive functioning such as cognitive flexibility, planning, visual/visuo-spatial working memory, and verbal fluency compared to typically-developing individuals. This research project seeks to measure the amount of Autistic-like traits/tendencies of individuals who are not diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorder and compare their level of Autistic tendencies to their ability to perform various cognitive tasks. Participants will first take the Autism Quotient--a questionnaire determining their level of autistic-like traits. Following this, participants …

The Few And The Proud: Examining The Need For Belonging And The Need For Distinctiveness In Regards To Sport Choice, Thomas Derossett

Scholars Week

According to Sheldon and Bettencourt, feeling like you belong to a group has a significantly positive impact on mood. This directly relates to research which discusses how sport fans are more likely to consume sport if they feel like they belong. The sense of belonging drives the individuals to be a part of a group.

Distinctiveness is also an important part of personality. This is the concept that you stand out amongst the crowd. Much like belonging, it has been directly correlated to positive outcomes on mood. It is an innate biological need which drives individuals to form groups (Eastwick, …

My Best Friend Is A Smurf: Assessing Racism Through Children's Cartoons, Asheley M. Roberts, Morgan Owens, Tommy Derossett

Scholars Week

Modern racism, compared to old-fashioned racism, is more implicit due to modern pressures regarding racially sensitivity. Although the notion of being multicultural is positive, the pressure is problematic as it hinders psychologists’ ability to measure self-reported racism. That is, when Caucasian individuals are given measures regarding racial bias, they tend to answer in socially desirable ways in order to appear less racist. However, those socially desirable answers are then used as evidence of their prejudice. The current study is examining the notion that explicit self-report measures are flawed because they initiate stereotype threat. This threat occurs when an individual is …

Who Should I Marry: Advice From Parents, Robert Tucker

Scholars Week

When getting married people may worry about whether their parents will approve of their choice in a spouse. On the other hand, parents may want to be involved in their children’s choice. This study was centered on the question: Is there a correlation between adult children’s perceptions and feelings about their parents and their willingness to accept parental advice on marriage choices? A sample of 248 university students completed a set of questionnaires that measured their willingness to accept parental marriage advice, their overall feelings about their parents, and the health of their family relationships. Willingness to accept parental marriage …

I'M With Us, But Not With Them: A Study Of In-Group Bias And Political Party, Quinn Lambert

Scholars Week

The purpose of this research is to test the interaction of in-group/out-group bias and political parties. This research is especially necessary and timely due to the unstable and somewhat unorthodox political climate surrounding our country this year. Research by Olivola, Sussman, Tsetsos, Kang, and Todorov (2012) shows that voters identifying as Republicans showed a greater preference for candidates who fit the physical stereotype of a Republican (an older white male) even if that candidate was not a Republican. My research asks if in-group biases apply to perceptions of attractiveness and trustworthiness. I hypothesized that participants will be more likely to …

Attitudes About Nudity And Sexuality, Morgan Owens, Kesia M. Casey

Scholars Week

Nudity is the subject of art in sculptures and paintings, or more controversial pieces that include photography. Few studies have examined why society deems nudity as scandalous or negative. One study by Beggan, and colleagues (2014) compared perceptions of “adult” photos based on the target’s gaze. They discovered females who made eye contact with the camera were deemed more vulnerable and more objectified than males, which suggests, in addition to gender differences, it is the implied sexual content for which people are reacting. The current study investigated relationships between attitudes towards nudity and individual difference variables (e.g., political ideology, relationship …

I’M Bad & Mad! Predicting Interpersonal Sabotage In The Workplace, Kendrick Settler Jr

Scholars Week

On April 13, 2016, Verizon announced that thousands of customers would receive diminished or potentially non-existent services due to the equipment sabotage in a wake of a worker’s strike (CNN.com). Unfortunately, sabotage conducted by employees is not uncommon. This two part study investigated the relationship between likelihood to sabotage and other negative workplace behaviors. Study one focused on investigating whether hostility mediated the relationship between organizational deviance and sabotage, using the PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2012-2016) for SPSS. The results indicated that the indirect effect (SE = .24, CI [.08 to .50]) was significant. That is, organizational deviance is only related …

Same Words, Different Impressions: How Accent Upstages Words In Communication, Alexandria Farris

Scholars Week

The current study investigated how different non-native accents of English are perceived. A person's accent can be used to take the place of the individual's race or any other marker used to make judgements (Shuck, 2006). Participants listened to a recording of one out of five non-American female speakers of English from Mexico, Russia, Germany, India, or China, or a female native speaker of American English; the participants heard either a formal or informal text and then evaluated the speaker on factors of competence, caring/goodwill, and trustworthiness. Demographic data on age, gender, languages spoken, extent travelled, and time lived in …

New Trends At The Nutrition And Online Markets Focused On The American And The Hungarian Consumers, Katalin Tari, Brian Parr, Iin Handayani, Regina Zsuzsanna Reicher

Scholars Week

Understanding online consumer behavior is an important undertaking in the field of business. With the Internet becoming more popular and accessible, the relationship between companies and their customers has drastically changed. The sales process is becoming more of a two-way communication relationship but there are many differences between the American and Hungarian markets.

Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine methods and procedures employed in the online nutrition market, based on the American and the Hungarian consumer sector. This research served to point out the possible methods and indications which allowed the integrated testing of performance on different …