Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impacts Of Formal Training On The Motivation Of Middle-Aged Runners, Margaret Turley

Master's Level Papers/Projects

The problem of this study was to understand the motivational factors behind middle-aged adults who take up running, and whether or not formal training is used by this population to aid in meeting their training goals. To determine this, two surveys were distributed to running groups hosted on social media. The first survey was geared toward middle-aged runners, and the second survey was geared toward trainers and running coaches who train middle-aged runners. The results of the survey were 183 runner participants and one trainer participant. Due to the lack of sufficient data, the trainer survey was not used in …

"What Color Are Our Hearts?" Challenging Social And Literacy Inequalities In An Elementary School Writing Club, Judith M. Dunkerly-Bean, Tom W. Bean, David Kidd, Elizabeth Johnson

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This longitudinal phenomenological study centers on an after-school writing club at an elementary school started by two high school English teachers and their students. Over the course of a school year, the writing club addressed local and systemic issues of inequality and facilitated the voice, agency and creative expression of the third to fifth grade students who chose to participate. Emerging trends and themes speak to the promise and possibilities of inter-age writing clubs that go far beyond traditional tutorial models. Rather than engaging in a banking method of tutoring, this project facilitates voice, agency and equality, as well as …

Factors Influencing Distribution Of Prosthetic Devices In Iran: An Economic Analysis, Sarah Tensen

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

An estimated 177,622 Iranians have suffered an injury resulting in amputation. Prosthetic devices in Iran are scarce due to wealth disparity, wars, and lack of vital resources. Without prosthetic devices, amputees face unemployment, homelessness, a lowered self-esteem and cannot fully participate in society. I examined economic factors influencing the distribution of prosthetic devices and reviewed articles that focus on healthcare costs, distributions and services, relationships between Iran and other countries, etiology of amputation to find a solution for the prosthetic distribution issues. I concluded issues resulted from high costs, unequal distributions of wealth and resources, unsafe conditions, and a deficit …

Funding Terror: An Overview Of Financing Methods, John Robert Flores Jr.

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

Terrorism in the Middle East has plagued the United States for over a decade and groups, like ISIS, show that terrorism can be well organized and financed. From a homemade bomb to a small army, each act of terrorism requires funding to turn hateful speech into an action. In the Middle East, funding for terrorism falls into three major categories: criminal, legal, and charity from like-minded individuals. Despite public disdain for global terror there are still some individuals, both foreign and domestic, who seek to fund terrorist attacks. Finding the sources of this funding is essential in order to stem …

Social Awareness Campaigns: Raising Awareness On Human Trafficking In India, Neha Pondicherry

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

Human trafficking is a persistent international problem that results in the subjugation of over 1 million people annually. The mass exploitation and abuse of humans for personal gain has taken many different forms over the span of history, including slavery, domestic servitude, labor bondage, etc. Many social media campaigns are not successful in India because they do not take into account the lack of education and minimal access to technology and other methods of communication. Rural villages actually respond most effectively to media use. In my research, I devised an entirely new social awareness campaign to be executed in India …

Depression In Low-Income Adolescents: Guidelines For School-Based Depression Intervention Programs, Gopika Hari

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

Studies reveal that low income is a significant risk factor for depression and only roughly 25% of children with mental illnesses receive adequate help, the majority of which comes from schools. This study establishes guidelines for depression intervention programs in low-income high schools through a literature review of current practices. This study found that a multi-layered approach with screening, universal education, and high-risk intervention is most effective. Screening should be conducted with a modified PHQ-a test and timely clinical interviews by school psychologists. All students and teachers should receive universal depression education curriculum consisting of principles like depression literacy and …

Friends Of The Libraries Newsletter, April 2017, Carrie Anderson (Editor)

Friends of the Libraries Newsletters

April 2017 Newsletter of the Friends of the Old Dominion University Libraries

Department Of Psychology Newsletter, Department Of Psychology, Old Dominion University

Department of Psychology Newsletters

Spring 2017 issue of Old Dominion University's Department of Psychology Newsletter.

Narratives Of Miami In Dexter And Burn Notice, Myles Mcnutt

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

In popular discourse around television, a series’ relationship with place is often marked through the suggestion its setting is “like a character in the show”, but this article argues against adopting this as a framework for analyzing television’s relationship with space and place. It articulates the relationship between this discourse of “spatial capital” and hierarchies of cultural capital within the television industry, limiting the types of series that are deemed to warrant closer investigation regarding issues of space and place and lacking nuanced engagement with place’s relationship with television narrative in particular. After breaking down the logic under which these …

The Effects Of Delay And Probabilistic Discounting On Green Consumerism, Blake J. Bent

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

People have a tendency to discount outcomes that are delayed or probabilistic. In other words, people will sacrifice larger benefits for smaller benefits that are immediate or certain. For many environmentally-friendly (“green”) products, the financial benefits are both delayed and probabilistic. The current study examined how delay and probability, as well as frame and magnitude, influenced consumers’ decisions when comparing a conventional and green product. Participants were recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and completed one of two experiments. In each experiment participants chose between a conventional product (low initial cost, high operating cost) and green product (high initial cost, low …

Exploring The Relationship Between Depression And Resilience In Survivors Of Childhood Trauma, Marquis A. Norton

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Although experiences of trauma are common, reactions vary due to a host of biopsychosocial and cultural factors that influence the individual reaction to the trauma (Nakai et al., 2015). One such factor is resiliency, the capability to adapt in adverse environmental circumstances (Basim & Cetin, 2011). This study used hierarchical multiple regression to examine the relationships between childhood trauma, recent experiences of depression, and resilience in adult university students. This study also examined the possible moderating effects on depression by resilience. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience scale, and PROMIS Depression survey. Small significant relationships were found for …

Understanding The Experiences Of Women With Anorexia Nervosa Who Complete An Exposure Therapy Protocol In A Naturalistic Setting, Gina B. Polychronopoulos

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a serious mental health concern in the United States, with the highest mortality rate of all mental disorders. Females comprise the vast majority of people with AN, although the number of males with the condition is rising. Anorexia Nervosa has a high relapse rate and is often enduring, which makes it challenging to treat successfully; therefore, the mental health profession is in need of innovative therapeutic approaches. Exposure therapy has a growing evidence base for the treatment of eating disorders, including AN; however, there are very few studies that explore body image/mirror exposure specifically in patients …

An Eye Tracking Study To Investigate The Influence Of Language And Text Direction On Multimedia, Arwa Adulwahab Mashat

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated how native language orientation influences spatial bias, first visual fixation on screen, first visual fixation on pictures, learning outcomes, and mental effort of learners. Previous studies supported the effect of native language writing or reading direction on spatial bias, examining written text and images created by the participants (Barrett et al., 2002; Boroditsky, 2001; Chatterjee, Southwood & Basiko, 1999; Spalek & Hammad, 2005). However, no study investigated writing direction in multimedia presentations using eye tracking. This study addresses this gap.

A total of 84 participants completed the study forming four groups. The first group (NativeLeft_InstrEng) consisted of …

Digital Literacy Adoption With Academic Technology: Namely Digital Information Literacy To Enhance Student Learning Outcomes, Nancy Adam-Turner

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This study explores Arts & Science faculty and librarians’ attitude of learning theory and perceptions of digital literacy (DL) and how digital information literacy (DIL) might improve and enhance student learning outcomes. Digital literacy (DL), information literacy (IL), and digital information literacy (DIL) consists of interaction with academic technology (AT) programs and tools. The objectives are: the rise of IL within the parameters of DL and discuss the birth of DIL, examine the modes of adoption and explore the levels of inclusion for faculty and librarians’ concepts of DL with DIL instruction with AT, define the IL phenomenon, and how …

A Household Daily Non-Mandatory Activity Participation And Duration Modeling Accounting For Person Level Budget Constraints, Ivana Vukovic

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A key methodological and behavioral innovative component in recent Activity-Based Models (ABMs) used for transportation planning is the household-level non-mandatory activity participation component. While traditional ABMs use a series of simple models to predict non-mandatory activity participation decisions in a sequential manner (which is often not correct), the Multiple Discrete Continuous Extreme Value (MDCEV) model can model both individual and joint non-mandatory activity participation and time allocation decisions in different out-of-home activities of all household members simultaneously. A key advantage of the MDCEV framework is that it accounts for complex intra-household interactions among different household members by allocating the total …

Sexuality And The Autism Spectrum: Implications For Individuals With The Broad Autism Phenotype, Lydia Ruth Qualls

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Many people who are not diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) nevertheless have some symptoms of the disorder. These people are classified as having the Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP) and have some of the same difficulties as people with ASD. People with greater levels of the BAP may have difficulty in expressing their sexuality and may experience more same-sex attraction, as is commonly found in individuals with ASD. Previously, differences between individuals with higher vs. lower BAP traits have been measured categorically. In this study, my goal was to use continuous measures of BAP traits, sexual experiences, and sexual orientation …

Effects Of Light Intensity On Spatial Visualization Ability, Petros J. Katsioloudis ., Mildred Jones

STEMPS Faculty Publications

A plethora of technological advances have happened since artificial illumination was developed by Thomas Edison. Like technology has had an effect in many areas in the modern civilization it also made a difference in the classroom. Nowadays, students can have instruction in classrooms with no external windows, even during gloomy winter or rainy days, and virtually during any hour of the day. Several lightning devices are being used, ranging from energy efficient LEDs to fluorescent lighting. Some forms of lighting methods have been found to be inappropriate for prolonged exposure to the human eye such as various gas-discharge lamps that …

Diffusion Of Renewable Energy Policies, Khatera Alizada

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the global diffusion of renewable energy policies: feed-in tariffs (FIT) and renewable portfolio standards (RPS). Existing studies of policy diffusion have failed to differentiate between four possible mechanisms of policy diffusion: emulation, suasion, learning and competition. To test these competing explanations, the study uses a mixed-method research design that combines statistical analysis of time-series cross-sectional data with an agent-based model of diffusion processes. The findings of the statistical analysis show strong support for the suasion (European Union Membership, Clean Development Mechanisms) and emulation mechanisms (cultural similarity or common language) in the diffusion of FIT. In the diffusion …

Endpoints After Empire: Explaining Varying Levels Of Democracy In Post-Communist Europe, William John Eger Jr.

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This study seeks to determine the impetus behind varying levels of post-communist democratization in central and eastern Europe. It explores the different theories of democratization. The work takes a regional approach to examining the states. This approach isolates less traditional factors that contribute to democratic quality: history, culture and geography. Qualitative studies of each help explain why the countries of the region have such a varying level of rights and freedoms.

Review Of Fantasy Sports And The Changing Sports Media Industry: Media, Players, And Society, Andrew J. Ploeg

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

Fantasy Sports and the Changing Sports Media Industry: Media, Players, and Society is a volume of essays dedicated to fantasy sports, games that, in 2016, attracted 57.4 million participants in North America alone. Nicholas David Bowman (Associate Professor of Communication Studies at West Virginia University), John S. W. Spinda (Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Clemson University), and Jimmy Sanderson (Director of Marketing, Communications, and Faculty Relations for Clemson Online at Clemson University) serve as the volume's editors. Together they have gathered the most comprehensive single collection of essays published on fantasy sports to date.

Supervisor And Subordinate Perceptions Of Leader-Member Exchange: Examining Idiosyncratic Deals And Work-Family Experiences In A Moderated Mediation Model, Michael L. Litano

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The extant literature recognizes that subordinates in high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships experience the most favorable outcomes (Dulebohn, Bommer, Liden, Brouer, & Ferris, 2012). In exchange for their unwavering commitment and superior job performance, high LMX subordinates benefit from greater access to valuable resources (e.g., communication, support, and negotiating latitude; Gerstner & Day, 1997), which can then be used to combat job demands and facilitate accomplishment of the subordinates’ salient goals (Agarwal, Datta, Blake-Beard, & Bhargava, 2012; Hobfoll, 2001). Meta-analytic evidence suggests that LMX also has critical implications for work-family outcomes (Litano, Major, Streets, Landers, & Bass, 2016), however, the …

Intersexion, Cynthia Davis

English Theses & Dissertations

A combination of memoir, reportage, and opinion writing, Intersexion explores the realities of growing up intersex while also examining the conservative mindset that caused the narrator—a happily married suburban mother—to lose a tenure-track position at a Christian university for being unwilling to label Danny’s intersex condition as “repugnant” and “offensive to God.”

Working Together: Examining The Effects Of Parental And Community Involvement In Schools On School Delinquency, Erica Nicole Bower

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

How do we confront the problem of school delinquency? This study examined the impact of parental and community involvement in schools on school delinquency by employing a cross-sectional secondary data analysis of the 2008 School Survey on Crime and Safety. Bivariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that parental involvement in schools is significantly associated with and predictive of decreased school delinquency, while community involvement in schools is significantly associated with and predictive of increased school delinquency. Findings suggest that based on school administrator perceptions, stimulating parent involvement in schools and cultivating certain types of community involvement in schools may reduce delinquency …

Cross-Racial Trust Factors: Exploring The Experiences Of Blacks Who Have Had White Mentors In The Counseling Profession, Eric Montrece Brown

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The primary researcher conducted a phenomenological study on cross-racial trust factors between Black doctoral students (n = 10) and their White mentors within the counseling profession. Three participants identified having a White professor as a mentor; two participants identified having White supervisors as mentors; five of the participants reported having both faculty members and supervisors as White mentors. Through semi-structured interviews, the primary researcher sought to ascertain what factors engendered cross-racial trust between Black doctoral students and White mentors within the counseling profession. The research team identified four superordinate themes related to cross-racial trust: contributors to trust, reasons for mistrust, …

Eye Tracking As A Control Interface For Tele-Operation During A Visual Search Task, Jeffrey Neal Levy

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the utility of eye-tracking as a control method during tele-operation in a simulated task environment. Operators used a simulator to tele-operate a search robot using three different control methods: fully manual, hybrid, and eye-only. Using Endsely’s (1995a) three level SA model and a natural interface (e.g., eye-tracking) as a more user-centered approach to tele-operation, the study measured objective, electroencephalogram, and subjective (NASA-TLX) measures to reflect both workload and situation awareness during tele-operation. The results showed a significant reduction in mental workload, as reflected by EEG measures. However a significant effect was found where the operators’ perceived mental …

An Investigation Into Perceived Productivity And Its Influence On The Relationship Between Organizational Climate And Affective Commitment, Kaitlynn Marie Castelle

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence of individually perceived productivity on the relationship between individually assessed organizational climate and affective commitment, from heterogeneous survey participant data. A theoretical framework is adopted to explain how organizational climate shapes employee perception and how this relationship is moderated by a perceived productivity. This is a relatively unexplored concept in the defined context and has been developed by the researcher. Perceived productivity was measured using an instrument developed in this research to gauge respondents’ perception of their productivity. The instrument, named the General Measure of Perceived Productivity (GMPP), was developed …

Establishing The Psychometric Properties Of The Understanding Mental Health Scale: A Dissertation Study, Michael Thomas Kalkbrenner

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation study was to validate the Understanding Mental Health Scale (UMHS). The UMHS is a 50-item questionnaire that was designed to measure college students’ awareness of mental health issues. To test the psychometric properties of the UHMS, a principal axis factor (PAF) analysis with an oblique rotation was conducted using an existing data set of 350 college students. Results revealed a two-factor structure underlying college students’ understanding of mental health issues. The factors were named risk-factor awareness (familiarity with warning signs of mental health issues) and resource awareness (knowledge of resources for mental health issues). A …

An Exploratory Factor Analysis Examining Experiences And Perceptions Of Campus Safety For International Students, Sonia H. Ramrakhiani

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Although international students make up a significant percentage of the college population and contribute to higher education institutions in multiple ways, a lack of attention is paid to their safety needs. This dissertation examined the experiences and perceptions of campus safety among international college/university students in the United States. The researcher sampled participants from different institutions around the country, who self-identified as international students. A researcher-developed 53-item Likert scale questionnaire, International Students’ Safety Questionnaire (ISSQ), was administered to the sample. Findings from the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) provided evidence for the four-factor solution for the 26-item ISSQ accounting for 48.65% …

Personality, Motivation, And Internet Gaming Disorder: Understanding The Addiction, Kristy L. Carlisle

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined the relationships among personality traits, motivation for play, and Internet gaming disorder in a diverse sample of Internet gamers, using a group correlational design and path analysis. The researcher sampled participants who self-identify as Internet gamers by posting invitations to participate in the study on Internet forums, as well as by accessing the gaming population at Pokémon Go hotspots. The study used valid and reliable instruments: The Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGD-10), the abbreviated form of the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), and the Motivation to Play Online Games Questionnaire (MPOGQ). Data analysis included descriptive statistics related …

Assessing Learning Strategies With An Educational Video, David James Harrison

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Even though educational films and videos have been in used for a century, there remains insufficient research into efficacious learning strategies that can be used alongside them. This study sought to investigate active learning strategies as a method to improve learning from video. This true experimental study, supported and informed by qualitative data, examined three active learning strategies utilized within video-based instruction: Guided Notetaking, Personal Notetaking, and Guided Summaries. Outcome measures included three dimensions of learning (factual, conceptual, and procedural) on an immediate posttest, perceptions of extrinsic cognitive load, likelihood that participants would use the strategies again, how often participants …