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Articles 3001 - 3030 of 11266

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Effects Of Abortion On College Women's Mental Health, Estefany Bologna May 2013

Effects Of Abortion On College Women's Mental Health, Estefany Bologna

HIM 1990-2015

Since the legalization of abortion, some research studies have argued that abortion has a neutral effect when considering other coexistent factors (e.g. Adler et al., 1990; Major et al., 2000; Steinberg & Russo, 2008). Other studies have concluded that abortion has a negative influence on women's psyche (e.g. Congleton & Calhoun, 1993; Cougle, Reardon, & Coleman, 2005; Hamana et al., 2010). College populations have been generally excluded from abortion research, even though, in 2007, 57% of women obtaining abortions were between the ages of 20 and 30 years (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). This study intended to measure the influence of …


Veterans' Perceptions Of Reintegration Challenges And Their Most Valuable Social Supports, Leslie Briggle May 2013

Veterans' Perceptions Of Reintegration Challenges And Their Most Valuable Social Supports, Leslie Briggle

HIM 1990-2015

With an increasing number of veterans returning to civilian life after deployment in combat, it is important to analyze what challenges they face during reintegration, what resources assist them with coping with these challenges, and which of these resources they perceive as the most helpful. The literature indicates that the most common challenges faced by returning veterans are employment difficulties, family readjustment problems and mental health issues which are shown to be positively affected by the presence of social support networks (Burnell, Coleman, & Hunt, 2009). There exists a gap, however in the research regarding the extent to which each …


Citizens Policing The Police An Evaluation Of Citizens Recording Police Officer And Wiretapping Laws, Thiago Coelho May 2013

Citizens Policing The Police An Evaluation Of Citizens Recording Police Officer And Wiretapping Laws, Thiago Coelho

HIM 1990-2015

The focus of this thesis is to explore the legality, the issues, and the remedy to a controversial statute in the State of Illinois. This thesis will explain how the First Amendment relates to the Illinois statute and its desire of a citizen is right to report information that is not being granted. Moreover, this paper will further go into a recent legislative bill to amend the Illinois statute, its failure, the media surrounding the issue, and the consequences of amending or not amending the statute. It will further review state law in regard to citizens recording police officers, and …


The Role Of Mentoring On The Development Of Ethnic Identity As It Relates To Body Image Concerns In Ethnic Minority Women, Raven Cokley May 2013

The Role Of Mentoring On The Development Of Ethnic Identity As It Relates To Body Image Concerns In Ethnic Minority Women, Raven Cokley

HIM 1990-2015

Emerging literature emphasizes the importance of mentoring in the development of minority youth. In particular, mentoring influences the development of youths' sense of self and self-concept. By examining the conceptual frameworks of both mentoring and racial socialization, this study summarizes the theoretical processes associated with youth development and how such development relates to young women's ethnic/racial identity including their body image. The mentoring relationship is examined with a small pool of ethnic-minority, college-aged female participants to explore whether there is a relationship between having received positive mentoring and the participant's current body image perceptions.


Temporary Barriers Reduce Rubbernecking And External Distraction On Roadways, Nicholas Colon May 2013

Temporary Barriers Reduce Rubbernecking And External Distraction On Roadways, Nicholas Colon

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of the current study was to empirically examine the effects of accident scenes on eye movement as well as driving behavior. Fifty-four participants drove in a driving simulator wearing a head-mounted eye-tracker in three experimental drives, one of which had an accident scene. The participants were put into one of three different conditions (no barrier, partial barrier, or full barrier). The results showed significant main effects of distraction (accident vs. no accident) on dwell frequency and duration, average speed, and root mean square error of the steering wheel angle during the drive with the accident scenes. In addition, …


Examining Social Loafing Within Virtual Teams The Moderating Influence Of A Team's Collective Orientation, Seth Cotter May 2013

Examining Social Loafing Within Virtual Teams The Moderating Influence Of A Team's Collective Orientation, Seth Cotter

HIM 1990-2015

Social loafing is a growing concern for modern organizations. With advancement in computer technology, virtual tools are used more frequently to communicate, which may allow social loafing to occur in new and unfamiliar forms. The intent of this thesis is to examine social loafing through the use of virtual tools, and to analyze whether collective orientation has a moderating influence on the relationship between social loafing and virtuality. 30 teams, each containing four participants, were randomly assigned to a condition of virtuality (i.e., instant messaging or videoconferencing). Participants then completed a computer simulation task in which social loafing, collective orientation …


An Examination Of Psychological Disorders, Social Anxiety, And Perfectionism In High-Achieving Undergraduate Students, Amy Elliott May 2013

An Examination Of Psychological Disorders, Social Anxiety, And Perfectionism In High-Achieving Undergraduate Students, Amy Elliott

HIM 1990-2015

There is a long-standing debate on whether high-achieving students experience a better or worse psychological well-being than their peers. This retrospective cohort study adds to the current literature by examining the differences in rates of psychological disorders, social anxiety, and perfectionism between high-achieving and typical undergraduate students. A convenience sample of 357 students was gathered from the University of Central Florida (UCF). Participants were asked to fill out a brief survey which included questions about demographics, grade point average (GPA), social anxiety, perfectionism, enrollment in The Burnett Honors College, inclusion in any childhood gifted programs, and diagnosis of psychological disorders. …


The Lasting Effects And Analysis Of The Supreme Court's Decision In The National Federation Of Independent Business V. Sebelius, Devin Esposito May 2013

The Lasting Effects And Analysis Of The Supreme Court's Decision In The National Federation Of Independent Business V. Sebelius, Devin Esposito

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the Affordable Care Act through an analysis of the United States Supreme Court's holding in The National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius. In order to better understand the Supreme Court's reasoning in that case, this paper will first examine the history and the function of the Supreme Court, which will demonstrate the Court's power to either augment or diminish the power of the states in relation to the federal government. This paper will then discuss the background of the Affordable Care Act, the procedural history of the case, and the majority's …


Lgbt Affirming Environments In Hospice Care Settings, Maria Gore May 2013

Lgbt Affirming Environments In Hospice Care Settings, Maria Gore

HIM 1990-2015

The documented experiences and perceptions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients receiving hospice or palliative care gives merit to the need for the implementation of LGBT affirming environments in hospice care settings. The guidelines for creating these affirming environments are described in this paper. Applying the Donabedian (1988) model of structure, process, and outcome this thesis project analyzes identified interventions relevant to the implementation of LGBT affirming environments in hospice care settings. Utilizing a formal PICO questioning method, a search strategy was devised and studies were identified based on established criteria. The results suggest that there is a …


How Sports Franchises Communicate Via Social Media, Christopher Jones May 2013

How Sports Franchises Communicate Via Social Media, Christopher Jones

HIM 1990-2015

The aim of the research is to evaluate how professional sport organizations communicate via social media and lay groundwork on how to effectively do so in the future. The research focuses on the history of social media and its involvement in sport, how it's used today, examples of effective communication and how it can eventually drive revenue for a sport franchise and build a stronger fan base at the same time.


A Case Study Of National Identity: An Analysis Of The American Dream In Politics And Literature, Sarah Marie Horning May 2013

A Case Study Of National Identity: An Analysis Of The American Dream In Politics And Literature, Sarah Marie Horning

HIM 1990-2015

The American Dream has been the inspiration of many political speeches, political writings, and works of literature throughout American history. Most recently, it has inspired political groups like the Center for the New American Dream and academic groups like the Xavier University Center for the Study of the American Dream. As of late, the notion of the American Dream has begun to crop up more often than not in main stream political discourse, especially surrounding the topic of immigration with the aptly named Dream Act. Why has the American Dream drawn this new attention and inquiry? Why and how is …


Subtypes Of Anhedonia And Facial Electromyography Response To Negative Affective Pictures In Healthy Adults, Lisa Kadison May 2013

Subtypes Of Anhedonia And Facial Electromyography Response To Negative Affective Pictures In Healthy Adults, Lisa Kadison

HIM 1990-2015

Flat affect (i.e., diminished expressivity) and self-reported anhedonia (i.e., lack of pleasure) are associated with many psychiatric disorders. There is a need to examine the relationship between specific anhedonia subtypes and flat affect in a non-clinical sample. Forty-seven undergraduate students (59% male; mean age 20.37; SD = 4.74) completed self-report questionnaires assessing four subtypes of anhedonia - consummatory/anticipatory by social/non-social. Participants then viewed 15 randomly-presented pictures (five neutral, ten negative) from the International Affective Pictures System while facial muscle activity (electromyography; EMG) was recorded. Male participants reporting a greater level of anhedonia, particularly consummatory social anhedonia, showed greater EMG activity …


Modeling Loan Losses A Macroeconomic Approach, Jeremy Hughes May 2013

Modeling Loan Losses A Macroeconomic Approach, Jeremy Hughes

HIM 1990-2015

A sound banking system is essential to a well-functioning economy. With the financial crisis beginning in 2007, a renewed interest in the safety of financial institutions has dominated both the political and financial landscape. Mounting loan losses in real estate lending led to the failing of over 460 banks from 2008 to 2012. This crisis is not unique; in fact, the Savings & Loan Crisis of the 1980's to early 1990's led to the closure of 700 savings institutions. Both instances created a panic in financial markets and heavy losses to deposit insurance funds. These losses are ultimately borne by …


The Cost Of Convenience The Extent Of The Reasonable Expectation Of Privacy In The Internet Age, Justin Karpf May 2013

The Cost Of Convenience The Extent Of The Reasonable Expectation Of Privacy In The Internet Age, Justin Karpf

HIM 1990-2015

The thesis will conclude by identifying issues that courts and legislatures will have to address in the coming years to adequately deliver justice in a dynamic society that is prone to powerful technological change.; Though the Internet and social media are fairly recent developments, the legal principles and issues embodied in them are well-represented in the Constitution. Take, for example, the freedom of expression enumerated in the First Amendment. Though traditionally in print, pamphlets, and film, recent developments in technology such as Facebook and blogs have become the new standard forms of communication. Like the physical mediums that arose before …


Study Of Whether United States Supreme Court Sex-Discrimination Jurisprudence Is Well-Grounded In Fourteenth Amendment Legislative History, Jerrell King May 2013

Study Of Whether United States Supreme Court Sex-Discrimination Jurisprudence Is Well-Grounded In Fourteenth Amendment Legislative History, Jerrell King

HIM 1990-2015

The purposes of the following thesis is to research United States Supreme Court sex-discrimination jurisprudence and ascertain if Fourteenth Amendment legislative history was used, referred to, cited to, or quoted from, by the Supreme Court Justices in their opinions regarding sex-discrimination cases since the Amendment was ratified in 1868. Legislative history is a window into the drafting, debating, and intricate crafting of laws and amendments. When words and phrases that are used in the statutes, codes, and amendments are ambiguous or unclear, judges and justices should use the legislative history to ascertain the intent of the framers of the legislation. …


Childhood Cat Bites And Disorganized Symptoms Of Schizotypy In Adulthood, Jenya Kolpakova May 2013

Childhood Cat Bites And Disorganized Symptoms Of Schizotypy In Adulthood, Jenya Kolpakova

HIM 1990-2015

During recent years of schizophrenia research, many etiologies have been emphasized, some of them implicating infectious and autoimmune diseases. Many different infectious agents have been examined, but the root seems to stem from the secondary autoimmune deregulation, which can be caused by different infectious agents. Among the effects that autoimmune deregulation has on the body, one prominent effect is on the brain, resulting in either severe or mild encephalitis. The mild encephalitis that has been implicated as one of the causes of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders has been associated with different pathogens, many of which can be transmitted by the household cat. …


A Global Strategic Financial Analysis Of The Luxury Retail Industry, Lauren Lavan May 2013

A Global Strategic Financial Analysis Of The Luxury Retail Industry, Lauren Lavan

HIM 1990-2015

A global strategic financial analysis of the luxury retail industry was conducted. The research entailed comprehensive analyses and forecasts of the global economy, the luxury retail industry and four of the most prominent, multi-national luxury goods firms in the world. These companies included: Coach, Michael Kors, Tiffany & Co., and LVMH Moet Hennessy, whom market among the world's finest personal luxury goods from handbags, clothing and accessories to diamonds, jewelry, watches, fragrances, cosmetics and wines. The macroeconomic analysis focused on factors pertinent to the luxury goods industry such as: (1) the lasting effects of the global financial crisis, our gradual …


Exploring Religious Bias And Perceptions Of Atheism, Raina Leckie May 2013

Exploring Religious Bias And Perceptions Of Atheism, Raina Leckie

HIM 1990-2015

Much research focuses on religious bias and in particular the marginalization of Muslims in America. What initially surprised post 9-11 researchers is that participants typically rank atheists lower than Muslims in the areas of private and public trust. Further research is needed to continue to understand the nature and extent of religious-based bias. The present study explores whether a job candidate's religion impacts perception of the candidate's "hireability" and source credibility, including elements of trustworthiness, expertise and attractiveness. Participants were randomly assigned to review an identical version of a resume in which only the implied religion of the candidate was …


Gdp Growth Differences And Financial Contagion: Evidence From The 2008-2009 Subprime Crisis, Jose Marquez May 2013

Gdp Growth Differences And Financial Contagion: Evidence From The 2008-2009 Subprime Crisis, Jose Marquez

HIM 1990-2015

Trend and panel data analyses are used to determine the role of financial variables in GDP growth differences during the last global recession. Real variables are implemented in order to absorb real shocks and give a better (less biased) estimation of the effects of those nominal (financial) shocks. Results indicate an important role of Stock Market correlations.


The Plight Of Foreign National Women In The United Kingdom: Coercion And Trafficking As Factors Of Imprisonment, Sarah Lokey May 2013

The Plight Of Foreign National Women In The United Kingdom: Coercion And Trafficking As Factors Of Imprisonment, Sarah Lokey

HIM 1990-2015

Within the United Kingdom (UK) prisons exists Foreign National women (FNW), a unique demographic of women who are non-UK citizens who have committed crimes within the UK. It is important to delve deeper into the issue before judgment is made, however, it seems as though in most circumstances, most citizens are not willing or perhaps even unknowledgeable that such a population within prison exists. Therefore, it is important to educate others about the issues that FNW in prison face. This research focuses on the issues such as lack of special services for the women such as translation and family contacts, …


The Effect Of An Auditory Stimulus On Change Blindness, Shane Mccormack May 2013

The Effect Of An Auditory Stimulus On Change Blindness, Shane Mccormack

HIM 1990-2015

This research examined whether or not an auditory stimulus would affect rates of change blindness. Change blindness occurs when there is a failure to detect an obvious change to a visual scene. For this experiment 40 participants were asked to determine if a change occurred between two pictures. This involved an original picture shown for 1 second, a neutral screen shown for 50 milliseconds and then either a modified version of the original image or the same image for 1 second and then repeated. Participants then determined whether a change occurred in the visual display. For some participants a familiar …


Costa Rica, Panama, And Nicaragua: Explaining Economic Success Levels, Kevin Negy May 2013

Costa Rica, Panama, And Nicaragua: Explaining Economic Success Levels, Kevin Negy

HIM 1990-2015

Latin America is a region that has deep roots in Spanish colonialism. Since its independence, many countries in the region have heavily depended on agriculture exports to industrialized states to support their economies. This has led to political theorists to label Latin America as an area full of "periphery" countries that are exploited for resources by "core countries. Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua were not the exception. In recent years, however, a noticeable difference between the economies of the countries has helped Costa Rica and Panama become more successful than Nicaragua, on the basis of GDP, GNI, and other similar …


Profanity's Relation To Personality And Impulsivity, Jasmin Mokbel May 2013

Profanity's Relation To Personality And Impulsivity, Jasmin Mokbel

HIM 1990-2015

The relationship of swearing in respect to personality, religiosity, and social influences was analyzed in this study. Many assumptions are made about the effects of swear words and the act of swearing can have on an individual. The present study hypothesizes that the use of swears words is dependent on an individual's personality characteristics and that exposure first happens from an external source (mass media outlets) rather than a familiar source (family member). More specifically, extroverted personality types will be more likely to engage in the use of profanity, due to their more impulsive nature. Online surveys such as the …


Stigma Related To Depression: A Comparison Between African American And White Young Adults, Amirica Nicholson May 2013

Stigma Related To Depression: A Comparison Between African American And White Young Adults, Amirica Nicholson

HIM 1990-2015

This study examined the effects of gender, ethnicity, social support, and acculturation on depression-stigma in college communities; specifically targeting the racial groups of African Americans and Whites. Undergraduates of various ages and class standings were given surveys within their demographics pertaining to: acculturation, social support, stigma, and depression. The above factors were compared to ethnicity. The results supported that African Americans have a higher level of depression-stigma overall, especially those who have been enculturated into their traditional culture; none of the additional hypotheses were supported by the research.


The Impact Of Training On Eyewitness Memory, Breanna Nelson May 2013

The Impact Of Training On Eyewitness Memory, Breanna Nelson

HIM 1990-2015

In a large body of research, Elizabeth Loftus (1975) first illuminated major concerns about the inaccuracy of eyewitness accounts. The primary goal of the present research was to test whether training regarding common eyewitness mistakes and witness suggestibility could improve eyewitness accuracy. The experimental group watched a presentation on research conducted by Elizabeth Loftus (1975) on eyewitness testimony and suggestibility during a Psychology course. Afterwards, an actor interrupted the classroom and had a discussion with the teacher. Students were asked a series of questions about the disruption. Some of the questions were leading and suggested certain things about the disruption …


Trauma-Focused Models For Caregivers: A Systematic Review Of Empirical Research, Wesley Paul May 2013

Trauma-Focused Models For Caregivers: A Systematic Review Of Empirical Research, Wesley Paul

HIM 1990-2015

Child and Adolescent caregivers are rarely the focus of research and/or trauma-focused or informed models when working with traumatized children (Baynard, Englund, & Rozelle, 2001; Chapman, Dube, & Anda, 2007). It has been shown that use of caregivers in the treatment of children who have suffered trauma can have a significant impact on not only the child, but also reduce the trauma symptoms of the caregivers themselves (Cohen, Mannarino, & Staron, 2006). The purpose of this study is to critically review the empirical research of trauma-focused and trauma-informed trainings and treatment models for children who have suffered some form of …


Mental Illness In The Prison System: Exploring The Issues And Possible Solutions, Melinda Pacecca May 2013

Mental Illness In The Prison System: Exploring The Issues And Possible Solutions, Melinda Pacecca

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this research was to explore the issue of mental health in the prison system. A large portion of the prison population is mentally ill. The prison environment poses special challenges to these individuals. Treating mental illness in a prison environment can be difficult as there are many factors that must be considered in deciding the best way to handle mentally ill offenders. Mental health courts show promise in dealing with these issues, but methods vary quite significantly from region to region. A literature review was conducted to provide an overview of the types of mental illnesses seen …


Perceived Stress, Adjustment, Emotional And Behavioral Functioning, And Self-Esteem Among College Freshman And The Role Of Parental Support, Sarah Prentice May 2013

Perceived Stress, Adjustment, Emotional And Behavioral Functioning, And Self-Esteem Among College Freshman And The Role Of Parental Support, Sarah Prentice

HIM 1990-2015

This current study examined the relationships among Freshmen students' contact with their parents, stress, adjustment, emotional and behavioral functioning, and self-esteem. As part of this study, 121 ethnically diverse college Freshmen completed measures assessing the aforementioned variables. Analyses of variance suggested that college Freshmen varied in their ratings of these variables based on their gender and living situation(i.e., whether they lived on campus, in the community, or in their parents' home). Correlational analyses suggested that there were significant relationships among parental involvement and college students' stress, adjustment, emotional and behavioral problems, and self-esteem. Hierarchical regression analyses suggested that gender, living …


Music Influences On Health Compromising Behaviors, Erum Qureshi May 2013

Music Influences On Health Compromising Behaviors, Erum Qureshi

HIM 1990-2015

Considering the vast number of youth that participate in sexual behavior and start using illicit drugs at a young age, it is imperative to investigate the prevalence of media filled with both subliminal and blatant messages about drugs and sexuality. It is hypothesized that lyrical content of music and the content and imagery of music videos will contain conscious messages about drug and alcohol use, and sexual behaviors. Content analysis that used the frequency method determined the amount of sexual and drug messages within five songs from each artist. Additionally, it is postulated that participants who frequently listen to specific …


The Role Of Parenting And Attachment In Identity Style Development, Kaylin Ratner May 2013

The Role Of Parenting And Attachment In Identity Style Development, Kaylin Ratner

HIM 1990-2015

Due to the significant relationships between parenting style, attachment, and identity formation found in previous literature, this study investigated the possibility of attachment playing a mediational role in the relationship between parenting and identity style. A total of 264 students from two high schools participated in this study. Although not mediational, significant relationships between maternal responsiveness, attachment, and the normative identity style were found. An outstanding and unexpected finding of this study was that the attachment and responsiveness measurements, although thought to be assessing different variables, are now suspected to be looking at constructs that are almost one-in-the-same. Extending to …