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Articles 2731 - 2760 of 11266

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Exploring The Correlation Between Theory Of Mind And Drive For Thinness, Sarah Hudak May 2014

Exploring The Correlation Between Theory Of Mind And Drive For Thinness, Sarah Hudak

HIM 1990-2015

Research suggests that, similar to individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, people with Anorexia Nervosa demonstrate an inability to utilize Theory of Mind concepts. Theory of Mind allows healthy control populations to attribute mental states to others by accurately predicting and understanding the behavior of others. This study's intent was to further explore the relationship between eating disorders and Theory of Mind. Using an online survey management system (Qualtrics), 210 female students from a large metropolitan southeastern university completed the Drive for Thinness subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes task. It was …

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The Relationship Among Previous Exposure To War And Conflict, Acculturation, And Identity Formation Among Adolescent Refugees, Jessica Guler May 2014

The Relationship Among Previous Exposure To War And Conflict, Acculturation, And Identity Formation Among Adolescent Refugees, Jessica Guler

HIM 1990-2015

This thesis examines the relationship among previous exposure to war and conflict, acculturation, and identity formation among adolescent refugees. It was hypothesized that US acculturation would mediate the association between exposure to war and conflict and identity development among adolescent refugees. Participants included 33 adolescent refugees (16 males and 17 females) ranging in age between 11 and 17 years (M = 14.61, SD = 1.48), who were recruited through a refugee resettlement service provider located in Orlando, Florida. Country of origin included Cuba (n = 25), Iraq (n = 4), Jordan (n =1), Haiti (n =1), Colombia (n =1), and …

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A Study On The Perception Of Brain Games And Their Effect On Memory And Cognitive Skills, Sheila Heiman May 2014

A Study On The Perception Of Brain Games And Their Effect On Memory And Cognitive Skills, Sheila Heiman

HIM 1990-2015

In this thesis, a literature review was conducted in order to analyze the numerous sources that investigated the effects memory games may have on participants. Each study covered different scopes and methods in the field of cognitive improvement, which gave way to a variety of results used to create a comprehensive literature review. The experiments included in the literature review gathered evidence to find the effect that “brain” games had on memory and cognitive skills. An explanation and analysis were made on the brain’s deterioration as it ages and the varying amounts of plasticity it contains. The overall perspective gained …

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Panua Partners In Hope, Naivasha, Kenya: Legal And Domestic Related Challenges, Keisha Holman May 2014

Panua Partners In Hope, Naivasha, Kenya: Legal And Domestic Related Challenges, Keisha Holman

HIM 1990-2015

The complexities of issues existing in Kenya create a domino effect directly affecting not only the effective management and economic growth of Kenya, but also social and legislative constraints to the lower socioeconomic classes. Land dispossession, proof of ownership to property and nationality are ongoing troubling issues affecting increased orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Kenya, most noticeably within predominantly poverty stricken rural enclaves. This research focuses on the bold move of stakeholders of Trinity United Methodist Church in Naivasha, Kenya partnering with First United Methodist Church of Winter Park, Orlando, United States of America. In 2010, they conceptualized Panua …

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Growth And Immigration: An Econometric Analysis Of Current European Union Member States From 1990 To 2009, Davis Jacob May 2014

Growth And Immigration: An Econometric Analysis Of Current European Union Member States From 1990 To 2009, Davis Jacob

HIM 1990-2015

Economic growth and immigration are important issues to individuals and governments alike. This paper looks at previous research on the topic of how migration affects growth and finds that most research finds that immigrants increase growth in at least the long run. First global or widely applicable research is discussed, then the paper focuses on the European Union as its data availability and uniform open migration policy lend it to a panel regression analysis. Three models are estimated using World Bank World Development Indicators data from 1990 to 2009 for all 28 current EU member states. The models are largely …

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Spatial Schema Transfers To Similar Place: A Case Of Disney Theme Parks, Daphne Kopel May 2014

Spatial Schema Transfers To Similar Place: A Case Of Disney Theme Parks, Daphne Kopel

HIM 1990-2015

The intent of this thesis is to explore whether an existing spatial schema assists with learning a similar environment to the existing schema. Spatially experienced and non-experienced participants of Magic Kingdom Park learned a similar park, Disneyland Park, using a virtual environment. Participants learned the virtual environment either passively or actively. Spatially experienced participants outperformed the non-experienced participants on survey and route knowledge assessments, despite of the training method used in the virtual environment. The results suggest that the existing schema for a similar place transfers to the new environment regardless of passive or active training.

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Toward A Model Of Team Decision Making Under Stress, Alyssa Marshall May 2014

Toward A Model Of Team Decision Making Under Stress, Alyssa Marshall

HIM 1990-2015

Today's organizations are increasingly relying on teams, rather than individuals, to complete tasks in the workplace. For some teams, these tasks require them to make high stakes decisions under stressful conditions. In military, medical, and emergency response fields, for example, workers are regularly asked to make decisions under high time pressure, uncertainty, and risk. The purpose of this study is to summarize previous team decision-making perspectives and create a model for team decision-making under stress. A literature review was conducted to examine the current state of team decision-making research. Several existing models of the team decision-making process were identified, representing …

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Debating Their Beliefs To Victory: How The Beliefs Of Presidential Candidates Transform The Rhetoric Used In Presidential Debates, Aubrey Marks May 2014

Debating Their Beliefs To Victory: How The Beliefs Of Presidential Candidates Transform The Rhetoric Used In Presidential Debates, Aubrey Marks

HIM 1990-2015

As presidential candidates rhetorically articulate their beliefs during presidential debates, they reveal a lot about their underlying ideological beliefs. These beliefs were examined through the lens of an established methodology called the Operational Code, which uses a program to decipher a candidate's beliefs through what they say in debate transcripts. In this study, the belief trends of the Operational Codes of all presidential candidates from 1976-2012 were examined through a rhetorical lens, and it was found that rhetoric was indeed the driving force for the apparent changes in Operational Code beliefs. These changes were examined on a greater level of …

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Political Transition In A Post-Arab Spring Middle East: A Comparative Analysis Of Tunisia, Egypt, And Yemen, Dominic Martin May 2014

Political Transition In A Post-Arab Spring Middle East: A Comparative Analysis Of Tunisia, Egypt, And Yemen, Dominic Martin

HIM 1990-2015

The Arab Spring that began in Tunisia and spread throughout the Middle East shook the region. These populous movements unseated authoritarian rulers whose power and position were well entrenched, potentially setting numerous countries on a path towards democratization. This project seeks to explain why the democratic transitions within the countries of Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen have been largely unsuccessful. The large amounts of literature that flooded the academic forums through articles and books are analyzed, providing numerous explanations as to why these transitions have been unsuccessful such as polarization, deadlock, sectarianism, violence, and institutional conflict. This literature focuses on either …

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Recidivism Prevention Through Prosocial Support: A Systematic Review Of Empirical Research, Kimber Mcdaniel May 2014

Recidivism Prevention Through Prosocial Support: A Systematic Review Of Empirical Research, Kimber Mcdaniel

HIM 1990-2015

Of the 700 offenders that are released from prison each year, seven in ten will be rearrested. There are a number of barriers face by released offenders that inhibit their successful reentry. These barriers include: mental health illness, limited work experience, lower education, substance abuse, lack of transportation, homelessness and poverty strain of family ties and/or close relationships. This paper explores the impact of social support on recidivism rates through a systematic review of the literature surrounding prosocial support. The implications for social work practice and research are also discussed.

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Social Work Student Perceptions Of Labor Trafficking, Margaret Mulhern May 2014

Social Work Student Perceptions Of Labor Trafficking, Margaret Mulhern

HIM 1990-2015

Human Trafficking in Florida is a growing issue that affects individuals and communities on a micro, mezzo, and macro level. Although legislative efforts and changes in agency policies have raised awareness about this problem, limited awareness and research examines awareness of labor trafficking as one form of human trafficking. This exploratory-descriptive study used a convenience sampling technique to explore the perceptions of 45 Bachelors (BSW) and Masters (MSW) level social work students on the prevalence and nature of labor trafficking. The findings from the research show students have a general idea of labor trafficking and believe in equal access to …

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The Effects Of Life Values Among Non-Psychedelic Drug Users And Psychedelic Drug Users: A Comparison Study On Life Values, Lin Peng May 2014

The Effects Of Life Values Among Non-Psychedelic Drug Users And Psychedelic Drug Users: A Comparison Study On Life Values, Lin Peng

HIM 1990-2015

The intent of this study was to compare life value differences using the Life Values Inventory. Differences among non-psychedelic users and psychedelic users were examined. Participants, ranging from age 18 to 48 from the University of Central Florida (UCF), a large state university, were recruited on a voluntarily basis. This was primarily done through online message board, the Sona System, and classroom announcements. The study was presented through the Sona System provided by UCF. In addition, all participants were students of the university. Results indicated significant differences among three out of 14 life values measured. The three life values that …

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Social Work Student's Perceptions Of Womens' Roles In The Military, Nichole Restivo May 2014

Social Work Student's Perceptions Of Womens' Roles In The Military, Nichole Restivo

HIM 1990-2015

Women have continually become more visible in the military. With the recent changes that now allow women to participate in direct combat occupations, various questions and concerns emerge about how the public perceives these new role changes for women. This exploratory-descriptive study examined the perceptions of 50 University social work student's (B.S.W. and M.S.W.) about women's roles in the military. This research was conducted using Qualtrics.com, and included demographic questions. Frequencies, chi-squares and cross tabulations were used to examine relationships between variables. The results indicated that although no significant relationship between these variables was found, other possible considerations on the …

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Shared Leadership And Team Satisfaction: The Moderating Role Of Extraversion Heterogeneity, Denise Reyes May 2014

Shared Leadership And Team Satisfaction: The Moderating Role Of Extraversion Heterogeneity, Denise Reyes

HIM 1990-2015

A between-groups design experiment was conducted to examine the effect of extraversion heterogeneity as a moderator between shared leadership and team satisfaction. It was hypothesized that the relationship between shared leadership and team satisfaction would be moderated by extraversion heterogeneity, such that (a) the relationship would be positive for teams in which members are similar in their levels of extraversion, and (b) the relationship would be negative for teams in which members are dissimilar in their levels of extraversion. Data regarding extraversion, shared leadership behavior, and team satisfaction was collected from 30 teams comprised of 90 participants. The findings did …

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Attribution Of Blame In A Human-Robot Interaction Scenario, Federico Scholcover May 2014

Attribution Of Blame In A Human-Robot Interaction Scenario, Federico Scholcover

HIM 1990-2015

This thesis worked towards answering the following question: Where, if at all, do the beliefs and behaviors associated with interacting with a nonhuman agent deviate from how we treat a human? This was done by exploring the inter-related fields of Human-Computer and Human-Robot Interaction in the literature review, viewing them through the theoretical lens of anthropomorphism. A study was performed which looked at how 104 participants would attribute blame in a robotic surgery scenario, as detailed in a vignette. A majority of results were statistically non-significant, however, some results emerged which may imply a diffusion of responsibility in human-robot collaboration …

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Nonverbal Cues' Impact On Leadership Across Cultures: A Review And Propositions, Melissa Vazquez May 2014

Nonverbal Cues' Impact On Leadership Across Cultures: A Review And Propositions, Melissa Vazquez

HIM 1990-2015

Body language is a part of everyday life and the nonverbal cues associated with body language provide important sources of interpersonal information in a variety of environments and especially in the context of cultural diversity. The intent of this thesis is to understand how certain nonverbal cues can affect leadership within different cultures. The nonverbal cues studied will be body posture, facial expressions, and distance. The cultural regions studied are represented by China, France, Brazil, and Egypt. The appropriate nonverbal cues were identified and discussed based on the cultural context. Research suggests that positive and erect body posture would be …

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Do Attitudes Of Pornography Influence Perceptions Of Rape Myths, Jolene Vincent May 2014

Do Attitudes Of Pornography Influence Perceptions Of Rape Myths, Jolene Vincent

HIM 1990-2015

Rape and sexual assaults are a huge epidemic not only in the United States, but in the world as well. Victims come across all races, ethnicities, ages, religions, classes and cultures. With so many victims, people often investigate what causes people to commit these crimes in order to decrease the likelihood of future incidents occurring. Pornography is often argued for being a possible cause of sexual assaults. While many sex offenders do have large collections of pornography, there has not been any concrete evidence to support that pornography causes people to rape. Acceptance of rape myths also could play a …

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Differences In Parentification Of Children And Adolescents In Two-Parent Military Families Versus One-Parent Military Families Due To Deployment, Tayler Truhan May 2014

Differences In Parentification Of Children And Adolescents In Two-Parent Military Families Versus One-Parent Military Families Due To Deployment, Tayler Truhan

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in parentification in military families with a deployed parent and without a deployed parent. Previous research has highlighted increased rates of parentification in situations involving parental absence or unavailability, such as divorce, parental illness, parental alcoholism, and domestic violence. This construct was assessed using the Parentification Questionnaire - Youth, a 20 item self-report survey for children and adolescents. Participants consisted of 22 children, ages 7-17, from military families with a deployed parent and military families without a deployed parent. After removing two statistical outliers from the intact military families group, …

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Alien Tort Statute: A Discussion And Analysis Of The History, Evolution, And Future, Shane Yodlowski May 2014

Alien Tort Statute: A Discussion And Analysis Of The History, Evolution, And Future, Shane Yodlowski

HIM 1990-2015

The Alien Tort Statute is a short, thirty-two word section of the United States Code enacted in 1789 as part of the Judiciary Act. The Alien Tort Statute, or ATS, has an uncertain and controversial beginning and remains controversial in current jurisprudence. The ATS reads as follows: “The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of any civil action by an alien for a tort only, committed in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the United States." It is my intent for this thesis to be an academic discussion of the mysterious history, intent, and court cases …

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The Dark Side: Study Of The Role Of Skin Tone On Consumer Perception, Kelcey Sablon May 2014

The Dark Side: Study Of The Role Of Skin Tone On Consumer Perception, Kelcey Sablon

HIM 1990-2015

The intent of this thesis is to explore the effects and influencers of skin tone on consumer perception. Firstly we conducted a primary study to test the effects of skin tone on service provider quality. The results showed that while skin tone had little effect, gender and ethnicity were more indicative. Therefore our study seeks to re-test the relationship between skin tone and consumer service perception as well as the effects of ethnicity and tipping behavior, and if a consumer’s cultural identity strength plays a role in consumer perception. We examined the differences across ethnicities i.e. White, Hispanic, and African …

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Perceptions Of Homelessness And Strategies For Receiving Services Among The Florida Homeless, Rebecca Young May 2014

Perceptions Of Homelessness And Strategies For Receiving Services Among The Florida Homeless, Rebecca Young

HIM 1990-2015

Homelessness is a complex problem replete with profound social distress and suffering, but with few adequate solutions. The homeless are a marginalized population particularly vulnerable to structural forces and policy decisions, including lack of affordable housing, unemployment, systemic inequalities, and lack of adequate social safety net. Perspectives of homeless people are understudied in anthropological scholarship which tends to focus on service providers, with comparatively less attention on homeless people themselves who are commonly subjected to medicalizing and criminalizing discourses. Using ethnographic research methods, including participant-observation and interviews with homeless people who pursue food pantry services at Hope Helps NGO in …

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Risk Factors Identified In College Students Exhibiting Social Phobia, Kasie Wallace May 2014

Risk Factors Identified In College Students Exhibiting Social Phobia, Kasie Wallace

HIM 1990-2015

College life is a unique experience in the life of many young adults that presents many challenges for which they might not be prepared, including living away from home and adapting to a new social and academic environment. In particular, these experiences may be particularly adverse for students with social phobia and may be predictors of academic and social problems, and may even predict dropout. The purpose of the present research is to identify possible connections between socially phobic tendencies and the social, emotional, and overall well-being of college students. Social phobia itself is an unnecessary and overwhelming fear of …

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Native American And Alaskan Native Youth Suicide, Emily Yurasek May 2014

Native American And Alaskan Native Youth Suicide, Emily Yurasek

HIM 1990-2015

Indigenous populations in the U.S. have been suffering from a youth suicide epidemic for decades. The epidemic and risk factors associated with it can be connected to the mistreatment of Native Americans throughout history which has caused their communities to suffer from numerous inequalities such as poverty, inadequate housing, loss of land, and destruction of culture. Using the concepts of biopolitics, post-colonialism, and structural violence, I argue that the social and political institutions forced upon Native American communities have led to increased alcohol and drug abuse, poverty, and disempowerment, all important factors that aid in the youth suicide epidemic. I …

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Conceptions Of Justice: A Sampling Of Student Perspectives, Matt Landon May 2014

Conceptions Of Justice: A Sampling Of Student Perspectives, Matt Landon

HIM 1990-2015

Although the literature in the field of criminal justice and philosophy is full of ideas of what constitutes "justice," little to nothing has been done to see where the average individual's opinion falls in relation to these ideas. This paper analyzes a cross-sectional convenience sample of students at UCF to determine their preference of six models of justice: utilitarianism, contractarianism, fairness, retributivism, moralism, and libertarianism. Correlating demographic factors are also discussed.

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Positive Outcomes Of Divorce: A Multi-Method Study On The Effects Of Parental Divorce On Children, Grant Mohi May 2014

Positive Outcomes Of Divorce: A Multi-Method Study On The Effects Of Parental Divorce On Children, Grant Mohi

HIM 1990-2015

A great deal of the existing literature on parental divorce focuses on the negative influences it has on children and young adults in regards to such areas as their relationships (romantic and familial) and their academic standing. The implications of such research are that parental divorce will always bring harm to families and, consequentially, should be avoided for the sake of the children's wellbeing. What is often missing from this research is a focus on the potential positive outcomes of parental divorce. The intent of this thesis is to explore the effects of parental divorce on young adults' ability to …

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Choosing Mates Who Look Like Ourselves, Alyse Gruber May 2014

Choosing Mates Who Look Like Ourselves, Alyse Gruber

HIM 1990-2015

Some research suggests that the reason men and women choose mates who are physically similar to them, is because though they may be genetically similar (given the physical characteristics), the fact that there is no kinship allows for genetic stability. Some researchers believe this is a product of evolutionary forces, therefore allowing possible mates to find those whom they would see as compatible and fertile. Researchers have found that as children we imprint our parent’s facial features, which helps develop the normal facial recognition later. With this knowledge it is suggested that we subconsciously use our parent’s facial imprint as …

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That's So Ghetto: A Study Of The Racial/Socioeconomic Implications Associated With The Term "Ghetto", Shaun Richardson May 2014

That's So Ghetto: A Study Of The Racial/Socioeconomic Implications Associated With The Term "Ghetto", Shaun Richardson

HIM 1990-2015

The term "ghetto" has an ambiguous meaning in American society. The term frequently has been used as either a noun or an adjective. As a noun the term "ghetto" is often used to describe a place - Small describes the ghetto as a: "…a particular type of neighborhood; it exhibits a cohesive set of characteristics, such as deteriorating housing, crime, depopulation, and social isolation…"(2008: 78.) This description as a noun is indicative of unsavory social conditions and climate that fosters an unproductive populace. As an adjective the term remains more difficult to solidly define. The bulk of available research often …

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Just Eat It: An Examination Of The Sociological Factors That Influence The Eating Habits Of College Students, Alexandra Minnick May 2014

Just Eat It: An Examination Of The Sociological Factors That Influence The Eating Habits Of College Students, Alexandra Minnick

HIM 1990-2015

Young adults 18-25 years of age in the United States are experiencing a new world as they transition to young adulthood in college. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the eating behaviors of the young college population. The present study will examine the kinds of foods college students eat and how they make decisions regarding food consumption. The methodology of the present study consists of a quantitative survey, which includes questions about gender, living arrangements, convenience, and student eating habits. The sample size is comprised of 228 students at the University of Central Florida. A regression model is …

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Zero Tolerance For Some: The Role Of Race In Zero Tolerance Exclusionary Discipline, Meghan Bejarano May 2014

Zero Tolerance For Some: The Role Of Race In Zero Tolerance Exclusionary Discipline, Meghan Bejarano

HIM 1990-2015

Within the last few decades, zero tolerance policies and exclusionary discipline have become the standard way in which schools manage student behavior. These policies, namely suspension and expulsion have been shown to have negative impacts on the lives of students who are punished with them. Educationally, the removal of students from the classroom hurts their chances of achieving academic success. Furthermore, these policies have been linked with an increase in the presence of law enforcement on school campuses, which results in the arrest of students, burdening them with expensive and serious legal battles. This research examines whether nonwhite students are …

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Sterling, Richard C. Crepeau May 2014

Sterling, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

There are times when something happens in the world of sport that is so startling that reactions come hard and fast and seem to overwhelm events. The Donald Sterling soliloquy hit with this sort of force, and the reaction was beyond what could be anticipated but was still more than appropriate. It was required.

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