Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Rise And Fall Of Puerto Rico: How Politico-Legal Failures Led To An Experiment's Demise, Sebastián J. Delgado Suárez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Puerto Rico has been a United States territory since 1898. Since then, the island has remained in an ill-defined relationship with the United States, lacking autonomy and sovereignty. The Supreme Court and Congress have been the primary agents dealing with Puerto Rico's territorial trajectory. While the island has faced many setbacks throughout the years, this thesis asserts that the zenith in autonomy and sovereignty was reached in the 1950s, after two key legislative developments. This set forth an experiment in territorial administration. But the experiment was abandoned and closed in 2016, after two Supreme Court decisions and an Act of …

A Mixed Methods Study On Food Insecurity Screening And Patient-Centered Care: Perspectives Of Patients And Healthcare Providers On Practices And Barriers To Effective Screening In Outpatient Medical Settings, Christina Bernhardt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between elements of patient-centered care and patient/provider comfort with conversing about food insecurity and related social determinants of health. A mixed methods study was conducted. Patients and healthcare providers were surveyed on their experiences with patient-centered care and comfort discussing food insecurity and related social concerns. Telephone interviews were conducted to gain a richer understanding of the concepts under investigation. In the survey and telephone interviews, both samples were also asked about changes in communication during COVID-19 times. Quantitative findings show that patient involvement in care and cultural sensitivity …

Predicting Employee Performance: A Meta-Analysis And Systematic Review On Data Mining Methods, Turku Erengin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Data mining methods have been used to study a variety of topics in industrial and organizational psychology, including predicting employee performance. With the increased interest in predictive analytics in human resources, the present study aimed to review and explore the application of two commonly used data mining methods, decision trees (DTs) and artificial neural networks (ANNs), for predicting employee performance in organizational settings. Out of 103 studies reviewed, eight studies were retained and used for the meta-analyses. The number of employee performance classifications meta-analyzed was 2430 in total. The results suggested that both data mining methods showed good performance in …

Couples With Infertility: The Influence Of Quality Of Life, Relationship Satisfaction, Resilience, Depression, And Shame, Nikole Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the directional relationship between fertility related quality of life, relationship satisfaction, resilience, depression, and shame amongst individuals and couples with infertility. This study tested the hypothesized directional relationship that individuals and couples with infertility (N = 556) with a greater level of fertility related quality of life (FertiQol) would have (a) increased relationship satisfaction (CSI), (b) increased resilience (CD-RISC), (c) decreased depression (PROMIS), and (d) decreased shame (FSCRS), through structural equation modeling (SEM) and the actor partner interdependence model (APIM). Also, the researcher tested the dyadic influence of fertility related quality of …

An Examination Of Factors Associated With Lgbtq+ College Students' Adoption Of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (Pep) As An Hiv Prevention Method, Shayna Forgetta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an effective human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention medication taken after exposure, yet it is not widely used in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) community. Understanding its acceptability is vital, given this population's increased risk for contracting HIV. Drawing from the Health Literacy Skills Framework and the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study provides an examination of PEP-related awareness and knowledge, as well as intention to request and use PEP. Using a cross-sectional survey design, a convenience sample of 131 LGBTQ+ college students from a Southeastern university was recruited through email and social media. …

Health Literacy, Knowledge, Attitudes, And Opioid Use Behavior Among College Students, Khristen Holmes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Opioid-related deaths have increased rapidly over the last couple of decades due to the overprescribing of prescription opioids and the availability of illicit drugs from family members, friends, or street dealers. To address this crisis, this research will attempt to identify how health literacy levels affect knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Hence, this study is informed by the Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior (KAB) Model. The KAB model is used to determine the influence of knowledge and attitudes on behaviors, which includes prescription drugs, illicit drugs, and fentanyl. This dissertation aims to explore the relationships between health literacy, knowledge, attitude, and behavior for opioids (prescription …

Highly Sensitive Child Scale For Preschool Age Children: Development, Initial Validation Of A New Instrument, Bethany Russell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The health of the caregiver-child relationship is imperative for positive long-term mental health outcomes in children and is dependent on caregivers' understanding of their child's behaviors. Misunderstanding a child's behaviors prevents caregivers from responding to their child in a nurturing manner, which creates disconnection in the caregiver-child relationship. Unfortunately, children with sensory processing sensitivity are particularly likely to experience such misunderstanding in their relationships with caregivers. Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a temperament trait manifesting in stronger neurological and emotional responses to stimuli. To increase understanding of children's needs through proper discovery of SPS, the researcher developed the Highly Sensitive …

Using Geographic Information Systems To Analyze The Effects Of Residential Location On Student Academic Success, Courtney Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Purpose: This study aims to assess the impact of social disorganization indicators (i.e., employment, median-household income, owner-occupied housing, crime, poverty, and minority percentage) on academic performance (i.e., GPA) for 6th and 7th-grade students attending seven K-8 designated Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) in central Florida. Methods: A hot spot cluster analysis was used to identify areas where high and low GPA clustering occurs based on the individual block level GPA data obtained from OCPS. Visual map comparison of cluster results and social disorganization indicators were used to understand if high GPA cluster outcomes occur in areas of social disorganization. Moreover, …

Paleoethnobotanical Analysis Of Maya Ceramic Residues From Holtun, Guatemala, Kimberly Batres

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

To the Maya, plant-based foods were not just important for sustenance but also had ritual meaning that was especially emphasized when placed in graves and caches. Food offered during ritual performances created a reciprocal relationship between living individuals, their ancestors, and the gods. The following thesis examines seven ceramic sherds associated with burial and cache offerings of individuals from the lowland Maya site of Holtun, Guatemala, that were found to have contained food offerings. Starch analysis, a method used to determine plant taxa on a microscopic level was performed on the ceramic vessels along with various experimental molecular spectroscopic procedures. …

Immersion's Relationship To Enjoyment In Gaming, Ronald Ray Eddy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The term immersion has become ubiquitous in descriptions of entertainment activities, including theme park attractions, virtual reality experiences, video games, and more. In nearly all cases, an expectation is that immersion in an activity is a desired outcome. However, this implication is challenged by a lack of research into the relationship between immersion and enjoyment. A further challenge is presented by the lack of a consensus among researchers regarding a precise definition of immersion. This dissertation explores the immersion-enjoyment relationship by first examining the construct of immersion itself, followed by an exploration of the myriad concepts surrounding immersion, including engagement, …

Analyzing The Self-Reported Experiences Of Japanese English As A Foreign Language Pre-Service Teachers With Listening Comprehension Skills, Akira Yamamoto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The purpose of the study was to analyze the self-reported experiences of Japanese English as a foreign language (EFL) pre-service teachers with listening comprehension skills in their teaching classroom as university students and in their learning classroom as EFL students. Currently, Japanese EFL education is changing rapidly and focusing on developing overall English skills that include listening, speaking, reading, and writing. However, pre-service teacher EFL education in Japan does not stress the importance of listening comprehension pedagogy. Moreover, there have been few studies about listening pedagogy from the perspective of preservice teachers. Through analyzing pre-service teacher's self-reported listening learning experiences, …

The Green Morocco Plan: A Case Study Of The Unintended Consequences Of Sustainable Development Initiatives, Sofiya Asedrem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Morocco is often regarded as a regional leader in addressing climate change. This may not come as a surprise given recent reports that also show that it is particularly vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change, including extreme water shortages. Therefore, what has the state been doing in response to this crisis, and even more, how have state initiatives impacted the country's most vulnerable populations and the environment? This thesis focuses on the Green Morocco Plan (GMP), an agricultural strategy launched in 2008 that intended to address environmental concerns while also increasing modern agricultural productivity and improving the conditions of …

An Illusional Nuclear Taboo: Mechanisms Of Domestic Attitudinal Patterns For Extreme Methods Of War, Doreen Horschig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This dissertation studies public attitudes toward nuclear weapons. When do people become more willing to endorse a preemptive nuclear strike against a foreign country? Utilizing theoretical insights from international relations, comparative politics, and social psychology and original experimental survey data from Israel and the U.S., this dissertation aims to answer these questions. Influential strands of scholarship argue that both the public and political elites have internalized anti-nuclear norms. The critics, however, assert that the moral nuclear taboo lacks robustness. The dissertation joins this debate by offering a novel theoretical framework informed by terror management theory (TMT) and suggests that people …

Corrective Feedback In L2 Pronunciation: The Learner Lens, Elif Saribas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study investigated learner perceptions of correction in L2 (second language) pronunciation. Research indicates that L2 learners have a strong preference toward corrective feedback provided by the teacher and also favor peer feedback (Kaivanpanah et al., 2012). In addition, external feedback is shown to contribute to the development of internal feedback, or self-correction (Huang & Jia, 2016). Learners were also found to carry positive opinions towards explicit error correction, with culture and proficiency level influencing those opinions (Yang, 2016). The current study used a qualitative approach to investigate learner perceptions toward correction in L2 pronunciation and examine real-life correction instances …

Non-Binary Identities: How Non-Binary People Move Through A Gendered World, Carly E. Kupper

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The following study examines the experiences of non-binary people living in a society that emphasizes a gender binary, along with how being non-binary affects participants' views of the world and themselves. The study also looked to establish a working definition of "non-binary." I interviewed 17 participants who self-identified as non-binary regarding their lived experiences as non-binary people. Narratives were used to establish codes and themes. Adopting a narrative approach to the data, the study puts forth working definitions of non-binary and related terms, such as gender non-conforming, androgyny, and genderfluid. The study found that most participants saw themselves as breaking …

Stock Shows And Rodeos: The Crossroads Of Commodification, Consumption, And Care Of Nonhuman Animals, Erin Kidder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study explores the complex relationship between humans and nonhuman animals through the lens of stock shows and rodeos (SSR). This study employs a feminist theoretical framework and an interpretive qualitative research methodology to gain insight into the ways in which humans practice a range of speciesist behaviors relating to their commodification, consumption, and care of other animals. Data consist of semi-structured interviews with 21 individuals who participate in SSR as spectators and competitors and with two animal medical experts, along with field observations at three different SSR held in Florida and Texas. Findings suggest that nonhuman animals serve many …

Dating App Facilitated Sexual Violence: The Prevalence And Mental Health Effects, Samantha G. Echevarria

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Dating apps are in growing popularity, with 48% of dating app users in the United States being adults under 30 (Pew Research Center, 2020, Figure 5). While dating apps can provide a faster and easier way to meet or message a potential partner, they are also a relatively new platform to experience sexual violence. This thesis aims to explore the frequency of sexual violence experienced via dating apps as well as the specific effects this subtype of sexual violence has on the mental health of college students. Technology facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) includes unwanted sexual advances, sexual harassment, gender/sexuality-based abuse, …

Stance And Engagement In Scientific Research Articles, Caoyuan Ma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Stance and engagement are important rhetorical resources for writers to construct interaction with readers and ideas by marking epistemic evaluation and bringing readers into the texts. Building on previous research that suggests notable differences in the use of stance and engagement in academic discourse, this comparative study investigates the use of stance and engagement in scientific research articles. By comparing two corpora that contain 144 research articles in total across 16 scientific disciplines, this study examines if the numbers of stance and engagement differ between manuscripts (unpublished research papers) that are produced by nonnative writers and those that are published …

"Bad Boys" To Bigger Problems: A Study On Masculinity And Mental Health, Yesenia Conde

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Enacting gendered behaviors and using gendered resources has been a way for boys to "do masculinity." One place where boys do masculinity is the public school system. It plays a large role in facilitating adolescent youths' exposure to peer groups where they learn gendered behaviors. Our culturally imposed social script for hegemonic masculinity emphasizes strength and social dominance which can be seen to influence a variety of psychological areas. This thesis examines the relationship between hegemonic masculine traits and mental health. Mental health and masculinity were operationalized and measured using the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey containing measures of masculinity, …

Beyond The Second Sidewalk: A Study Of Collective Efficacy At Institutions Of Higher Education And Surrounding Communities, Rebecca Decesare

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Social disorganization theory (Shaw 1942; 1969) suggests that communities with greater racial heterogeneity, residential mobility, and low socioeconomic status will be less organized, thereby less able to collectively repel criminal behavior. These characteristics describe many institutions of higher education (IHEs), so we should expect that IHEs would have higher crime rates than neighboring areas with greater social organization. However, recent explorations of social disorganization have considered the mitigating concept of collective efficacy. This research suggests that the characteristics of social control, social cohesion, and trust present in communities will mitigate crime (Sampson 1997). These community characteristics also describe many IHEs. …

Getting Crafting When You're Bored: The Interaction Between Personality And Boredom, Jamie Striler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Researchers have proposed job crafting as a solution for alleviating the pervasive issue of workplace boredom. This multi-study dissertation sheds light on the relationship between boredom and job crafting while considering the role of three personality traits: proactive personality, extraversion, and promotion focus. Study 1 utilized a cross-sectional design that measured employee perceptions of boredom along with subject matter expert (SME) ratings of these jobs as boring. The experiment run in Study 2 induced boredom to test its impact on job crafting along with measuring personality. Results did not support the hypotheses that the links between boredom and three dimensions …

Documenting Outdoor Simulated Scenes With Photogrammetry: Methods For Improving Dappled Lighting Conditions, Caroline Jasiak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The primary goal of a forensic archaeologist is to reconstruct the context of scenes involving skeletal remains using recording and mapping methods. However, the outdoor locations of most forensic archaeology scenes can result in difficulties when recording and mapping scenes. While close-range photogrammetry (CRP) has been considered for documenting context of forensic sciences, this method lacks a sufficient procedural basis to guide data recording when encountering problematic environmental conditions. The purpose of this research is to test how light correction tools, a sheet and artificial lights, could improve harsh lighting conditions. Photographs were taken of controlled scenes with skeletal remains …

Group Level Cues And The Use Of Force In Domestic And Foreign Policy Contexts, Zlatin Mitkov

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

To what extent do elite and social group cues affect the public's willingness to embrace their leader's actions during domestic and international security crises? Studies traditionally have focused on top-down elite cue-driven models to study how the public's attitudes are influenced during international and domestic security crises, largely disregarding the bottom-up effects social peer groups can have on individuals' attitudes. This is problematic as the public is regularly exposed to cue messages from elites and social peer groups, both of which are expected to help determine how successful leaders will be in mobilizing public support on a tactical level. To …

An Exploratory Study Of The Use Of Social Infrastructure Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) For Public University Facilities, Ashley Connors

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Public universities in the United States have experienced continual state budget reductions since 2008. These cuts have forced public universities to defer maintenance on existing facilities and delay new facility construction. Consequently, public university administrators have sought alternative financing approaches to meet their facility needs. Several public universities have turned to social infrastructure public-private partnerships (P3s). Using a multiple case study approach, this exploratory, descriptive research study examines the use of social infrastructure P3 projects by public universities to determine: (1) what public university facility needs are being addressed, (2) what types of P3s are being utilized, and (3) what …

Victim Blame Of Missing People Based On Race And Media Framing, Ciara Peebles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study examined the effects of a missing person's race and framing of their personal characteristics on participants' attribution of victim blame. Participants were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (N = 428) and completed a 2x3 between-subjects experimental study. The victim's race (Black vs. White) and news media framing of the victim's personal characteristics (positive vs. mixed vs. negative) were manipulated, and victim blame was assessed through reactions to a mock news article about the missing person's case. A two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted (with the participants' race and Modern Racism Scale score as covariates), and results indicated …

Liaison And Scholarly Communication Librarians Collaborating To Support Faculty And Students, Sarah A. Norris, Sandy Avila, Buenaventura (Ven) Basco

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Chapter 18 of the ACRL publication titled, Approaches to Liaison Librarianship: Innovations in Organization and Engagements edited by Robin Canuel and Chad Crichton.

Lights, Camera, Action: Tips And Tricks For Librarian Videographers And Video Managers, Rachel L. Edford

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Presentation at the 2020 Charleston Conference

As librarians, we are often asked to fill roles outside of our areas of expertise, and that is particularly true now when we are trying to find innovative ways to engage with users. While my library has created instructional videos in the past, there is certainly an increased demand now for the library to create and also manage our library video collection. This poster will provide practical advice and tips for librarians who find themselves serving as videographers, producers, or video administrators. We will explore the different types of instructional videos options as well …

Pandemic Pivoting: Unf’S 2020 Soars Virtual Conference, Karen Cousins, Andrew Rush, Courtenay Mcleland

Florida Statewide Symposium: Best Practices in Undergraduate Research

The Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS) is the University of North Florida’s highly-anticipated research poster event, organized by the Office of Undergraduate Research and held each April during Research Week – that is, until the pandemic changed our plans last spring. The members of this panel will share why we decided not to cancel the event; how we transitioned from an in-person conference to a virtual conference; how we created the website, uploaded the content, and integrated a judging component; how we later archived the 2020 projects for posterity; how we reaped some unexpected benefits, not …

Addressing Equity And Access In The Digital Humanities: An Interview With Daniel Cox, John Venecek

Open Access Week

Addressing Equity and Access in the Digital Humanities: An Interview with Daniel Cox

Daniel Cox is a full-time instructor in the Games and Interactive Media program as well as a part-time Ph.D. student in the Texts & Technology program here at UCF. His research interests include code pedagogy and narrative games. He looks at how people learn programming languages and tools, and then how those skills translate into creating different works. He has been focused on open access learning for interactive storytelling tools for many years.

Many of the projects Dan has been involved with have …

Exploring Open Access For Social Justice, John Venecek

Open Access Week

Exploring Open Access for Social Justice

Posted: October 21st, 2020

This blog post is written by Humanities Librarian, John Venecek.

The idea of the library as a site of social justice is a long-standing interest of mine. I’ve explored this issue by developing exhibits, programming, and other events designed to shed light on social justice issues. As a subject librarian, I seek to build diverse and inclusive collections in the humanities including art, literature, Africana, and Latin American studies. I advocate for increasing the equity of and access to scholarship and I’m an active promoter of Open Education Resources (OERs) …