Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Bridging The Gap For Online Deception Detection: Uncovering Methodology To Identify Deceptive Content In Mediated Communication, Margaret C. Stewart, Christa L. Arnold

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Detecting deception online and in mediated communication is complex and has gained recognition due to misinformation. Traditionally most deception detection in communication relies on analysing nonverbal cues in body language and facial expression; mediated communication prohibits many of these cues from influencing the interpretation of message meaning. Given the ability for deceptive information to thrive online it becomes necessary to develop an effective method for digital deception data analysis. A method called Statement Analysis (SA) is commonly utilized in law enforcement and may be suitable for use as is or with modifications in mediated communication research. The goals of our …

The Phenomenon Of The Infantilization Of Women, Caitlin R. Rechdan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The sexualization of women in advertisements remains a controversial form of media, specifically infantilization. Infantilization is defined as the portrayal of adult women acting and looking childish through attire and demeanor. This study examines consumers’ perceptions of infantilized women in advertisements. Students (n = 100) from a 4-year university participated in an online questionnaire examining measures of morality, objectionability, and ubiquity of five advertisements. Three out of the five advertisements display infantilized female models. The others show women in a non-infantilizing manner. A single chi-square conducted on the participants found significant differences in if students can correctly identify in ads. …

The Effects Of The Internet On Political Participation And Polarization, Tyler A. Roderick

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the age of technology and with rapid expansion of social media outside of simply the social realm (entertainment), as it delves into the political realm, it is important to assess the implications that new technologies will have on our democracy. The purpose of this study is to attempt to predict the ramifications of the internet on American politics and the impact it is having on political norms and responsibilities. The norms that are expressly being examined are voter turnout and partisanship. We have seen in recent elections how individual candidates have utilized the internet to further their own campaigns …

The Relationship Between Online Learning And Student Motivation And Engagement, Sarah Mieczkowski

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The switch to online learning during the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic impacted the educational world in many ways. University students were moved from traditional in person classroom settings to an online format. This change may have been accompanied by stress, anxiety, and social isolation. Research suggests that a student’s learning environment can either generate success by contributing to motivational strategies through quality of educational support or a learning environment can generate boredom, stress, and confusion. In addition, research demonstrates that personality plays a factor in many outcomes such as education and mental health. There is a lack of research on connecting …

Explaining Nikki Fried's 2018 Victory For Florida Agricultural Commissioner, Caitlin Concannon

Honors Undergraduate Theses

What explains Nikki Fried's victory in 2018 for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture? What explains the difference between votes received by Commissioner Fried and fellow Democrat candidates on the ballot in four other Fl. statewide races in 2018 at the county level? Florida's unique plural executive branch and diverse demographics have led to competitive elections resulting in narrow vote margins with the victory more often tipping in favor of Republican candidates across state politics in the last two decades. The 2018 Florida midterm election provides an opportunity to analyze the margin-of-victory for a Democrat candidate in comparison to the vote margins …

College Adjustment In Ftic Students During Covid-19, Roksan Aydelman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study looked at First Time in College (FTIC) students’ overall college adjustment and whether modality of instruction during students’ senior year of high school relates to subsequent college adjustment. Those high school seniors who completed the entire year virtually experienced greater social isolation and restrictions that may have further limited navigation of developmental tasks and experiences that prepare students for college. Due to the novelty of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first cohort where such a marked split in high school experiences could impact future college adjustment. College students (N=294) attending a large public university completed the College …

Conceptual Complexity And Terrorist Rhetoric: Examining Conceptual Complexity’S Role In Political Violence, Westley S. Hunter

Honors Undergraduate Theses

It is well-documented that leaders' conceptual complexity can affect their decision-making, but what about its broader effects on political violence? While Hermann & Sakiev (2011) and Conway & Conway (2011) have examined terrorists' conceptual complexity before attacks, this study generates a more extensive analysis by examining weapon types and target types. This research explored the connection between a terrorist leader's level of conceptual complexity and the violent attacks their organizations commit, arguing that complexity lowers before an attack and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It employed a content analysis of Osama bin Laden's rhetoric from 1999 to 2003 to discern …

Exploring Generational Differences In Emotional Response To The Pandemic, Michelle Aros

Honors Undergraduate Theses

COVID-19 was a pandemic that has impacted the world in various ways and forced everyone to quarantine within the confounds of their homes. As studies investigated the effects of the pandemic, it was found that undergraduate students faced severe emotional and psychological difficulties being “at-risk” for greater psychological distress (Mayorga et al., 2021). Undergraduate students are currently made up of Generation Z individuals who are born from 1995 to 2010 (Ang et al., 2021). The present study investigates the relationship between mental health and generational cultural attitudes to explore whether there is a correlation between the stressors from COVID and …

A Re-Evaluation Of Stuart's Police Officer Stigma Scale, Zachery D. Burzee

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Stigma about mental illness is often identified as one of the most prominent obstacles to seeking mental health services. This seems to be particularly true among first responders. Unfortunately, the research regarding stigma in first responders is lacking. This may be due, in part, to the absence of appropriate measurement tools to allow such research. Stuart’s Police Officer Stigma Scale (POSS) has recently been developed to address this issue, but its psychometric properties have gone largely untested. Therefore, this study sought to identify the underlying factor structure and internal consistency of the POSS. This paper used a sample of one …

Mental Health Attitudes And Knowledge Among Shia Muslims In America, Fatima Z. Hussain

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Mental health has received more attention and stigma associated with it has decreased over time in the United States. However, subpopulations have differing views on mental illness since cultural factors can shape perceptions of and influence access to mental health information. Previous studies have investigated such cultural factors among Sunni Muslims (the majority sect of Islam) and less so among Shia Muslims (the minority sect). To address this gap, two research questions were investigated in this project: (1) What are the mental health attitudes among Shia Muslim adults in the United States, and (2) How much mental health knowledge or …

The Merits Of Reporting Battered Woman Syndrome In South Asian Women, Annyssa Karran

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper’s focus on South Asian and Asian-American women in relation to Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS) originates from a limited amount of research on the self-helping behaviors of these women–especially those who have immigrated from the countries of Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Bhutan–as compared to other cultures (Sripada, 2020). The current literature surrounding BWS identifies lesser reporting on South Asian and Asian-American women with ethnic backgrounds from these regions (Kasturirangan, 2004). A journal by Yoshioka (2005) proposes that we consider the “world view” or intersectionality when considering domestic violence and to which many women are restricted as a result …

The Interactive Impact Of Social Identities On Voter Turnout In The 2012 Presidential Election, Karla M. Mendez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The first Black American president ran for re-election in the 2012 election, which saw record-breaking voter turnout. After this election, scholars sought to examine what social identities impacted voter turnout and, found that non-Hispanic Black voters played a critical role in shaping President Obama’s success. Although the effects of social identities on voter turnout are the focus of an extensive body of existing research, many scholars study the separate effects of characteristics, such as race/ethnicity, gender or party identification. Utilizing public opinion data from the 2016 General Survey Study (GSS), this paper seeks to examine the intersectional effects of race, …

Narratives Of Racism And Microaggressions, Tayana J. Rich

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As the nation becomes more multicultural, more research has inquired into the identity development of diverse individuals through their racial identity. The presence of racism and microaggressions presents an interesting obstacle in underrepresented groups’ identity development. Microaggressions, which are ambiguous slights toward a member of a minority group, have become more prevalent in society and have caused a shift in how victims of these aggressions cope and integrate these experiences into their racial identity. Much research has focused on how these daily insults affect health in terms of lower life expectancy, however there is a lack of research regarding how …

Psychological Reactance And Sensation Seeking As Risk Factors For Perpetration Of Sexual Violence, Elana Gabriel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sexual violence is a major public health issue within the United States, particularly that with perpetrators who are men and victims who are women. Understanding risk factors for sexual violence perpetration is necessary to decrease the overall severity of sexual violence. In past research, psychological reactance has been shown to be associated with sexual violence perpetration, yet there is limited research on this association. Additionally, previous research has found that other traits may enhance the predictive properties of psychological reactance and that sensation seeking can predict sexual violence risk factors and sexual violence perpetration. Yet there is little to no …

The Effect Of Flooding On Inequality In Developing Countries: A Qualitative Analysis, Eva Gregory

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Global warming continues to have a negative effect on the environment and, by extension, the economy. Incidence of natural disasters are increasing because of climate change, with flooding being one of the most common and costly types of disaster. Studies on the effect of floods on the economy have revealed that flooding increases the amount of income inequality. However, there is not a unified, qualitative analysis of the reasons for the post-flood increase in inequality. This thesis examines multiple different flood events in several developing countries to answer how flooding affects inequality in developing countries. It produces a synthesized analysis …

Access Barriers To Long-Term Healthcare For Female Sexual Assault Survivors, Mary E. Farley

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Approximately one in five women in the United States experience childhood sexual abuse or rape as an adult. Healthcare providers are often not equipped to address the long-term effects of sexual trauma and its impact on one's health. Research Question: How can healthcare providers lessen service barriers for SA survivors? Method: This qualitative study employed convenience sampling from clinics that offered family medicine, urgent care, gynecology, or obstetrics. Participants included 11 physicians, physician assistants, and nurses. A semi-structured interview guide was used to explore health providers' perspectives and current practice procedures regarding treatment for sexual assault survivors and the …

Diabetes Mellitus Among Black/African Americans: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Epigenetic Research, Eliana Jacobs

Honors Undergraduate Theses

During their lifetime, Black/African Americans have a higher likelihood of developing the diabetes mellitus metabolic disorder than other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. While research indicates that socioeconomic status, diet, and obesity factor into race disparities, the epigenetics field additionally identifies historical and contemporary racism as contributors to race disparities. This study is a qualitative analysis that examines a sample of health science research articles that use an epigenetics approach to understand diabetes among Black/African Americans. I analyzed the extent and mechanisms through which articles subtly reproduce dominant stereotypes of Black/African Americans and diabetes through representations of …

Paleoethnobotanical Investigation Of Pre-Columbian Archaeological Site 8br158, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida., Jennifer I. Moreno Palacios

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Starch grain residue analysis was conducted on 18 artifacts collected in 2021 from the archaeological site 8BR158 on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This paleoethnobotanical analysis investigates plant use by the pre-historic inhabitants of the Central Coast of Florida where there is a lack of archaeobotanical research. The starches recovered from the archaeological artifacts were studied in order to identify plants used for culinary and/or medicinal purposes. Wild plants commonly found in Florida, such as acorn (Quercus), were identified in this study that were used for food resources. Domesticated plants such as maize and beans were also …

Covid-19: Views On Seriousness, Handling/Response, And Behaviors Of Undergraduate Students At The University Of Central Florida, Shemuwel H.I Russ

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Objective – Views surrounding COVID-19 are divided. The objective of this thesis is to investigate if views surrounding COVID-19 can be inferred based on college-level demographics. I explore the views of undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida.

Methods – A link to the questionnaire created through Qualtrics was sent out to university leaders asking them to distribute it accordingly among their respective undergraduate populations. Students (N=149) responded to questions about issues related to COVID-19, college-level demographics, and political attitudes. The data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential analysis.

Results – Students still viewed COVID-19 as a serious …

The Affects Of The Foot Conditions On The Homeless Population, Alexander Kaye

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The research is attempting to acknowledge and explain the impact, if any, on homeless individuals not wearing socks. The curiosity for this study started on December 25th, 2018 when my family and I were volunteering at a homeless shelter in South Florida. After having numerous conversations with homeless individuals, I was informed on how they do not have enough pairs of socks to keep their feet in a healthy condition. Thus, I decided to initiate a sock drive to improve the lives of those who are homeless. This study is looking at a series of articles that are reviewing the …

How Implicit Bias Contributes To Racial Disparities In Maternal Health, Michaella Saintil

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A rise in racial disparities in maternal health has become an ongoing issue in the United States. This study uses a scoping literature review method to examine the effect of implicit bias on racial disparities in maternal healthcare. Multiple articles in this study provide sufficient evidence to prove that implicit bias is a contributing factor to the alarming rise of racial disparities in maternal health outcomes. The study revealed two distinct categories that elaborate on the health crisis that has been a continuation of practices traced backed to slavery. The analysis for this research is grounded in lack of quality …

The Effects Of Incarceration On Depression And Anxiety In Juveniles, Melanie Alfonso

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Adolescents within the juvenile system suffer from a multitude of physical and mental health issues. Previous studies have linked incarceration to poor health in juveniles, but very few have been able to claim incarceration is the cause for the mental health issues found in incarcerated juveniles. Whether juveniles go into the system with pre-existing mental health disorders or not, still many factors are associated with the development of mental disorders while incarcerated. Based on what the field knows and does not know about the link between juvenile incarceration and mental health, the goal of this study was to determine if …

Differences In Performance Anxiety Between Expert And Amateur Dressage Riders, Hanna E. Benne

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Performance anxiety is a challenge most individuals in a sport face. From experts to novices in dressage, various individuals attempt to find harmony between horse and rider. Performance is a large part of dressage sport riding. This thesis will examine the following topics: the differences in expert and amateurs’ performance anxiety; the anxiety level of an expert or amateur who has been involved in a sport related injury; if the individual has a neurotic personality, whether more performance anxiety may occur while riding. A Mini IPIP five-factor personality test, Sports anxiety scale, Sports injury anxiety scales, and dressage questionnaires will …

An Analysis On Education As A Fundamental Right Guaranteed By The Constitution, Emily Bracht

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Benjamin Franklin once wrote “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”[1] However, nearly 200 years later the United States Supreme Court in San Antonio Independent School District vs. Rodriguez found that there was no fundamental right to education for American citizens found in the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.[2] For the purpose of this research, the definition of a fundamental right is “… a group of rights that have been recognized by the Supreme Court as requiring a high degree of protection from government encroachment.”[3]Because of this, students in America have different opportunities in …

Success Among Incarcerated Mothers Seeking Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, Brinna Desai

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a type of substance use disorder characterized by repeated use of opioid drugs. These drugs are known to be rapidly addictive with severe withdrawal symptoms, making death due to overdose a rising concern. In this study, we took a closer look at a specific population of women, all of whom had children and were incarcerated for opioid use. Our goal was to better understand the factors that would impact success among this group seeking medication-assisted treatment for OUD. We developed a set of questions focused on a variety of factors including stigma surrounding the disorder, …

A Comparative Analysis Of The People's Republic Of China And Its Treatment Of Uyghur Muslims And Nazi Germany And Its Treatment Of The Jewish People, Jordan R. Ellis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Like many before, this thesis uses the tragedy of the Holocaust as a historical comparison to an event occurring today, mainly in the Xinjiang region of the People’s Republic of China. Many historians have argued that comparisons to the Holocaust should be academically or intellectually prohibited. Many have stated that such an effort could minimize the perceived severity of or unintentionally raise other events to the level of the Jewish genocide. However, such comparisons should be permitted and are necessary to help prevent a similar atrocity from ever occurring again. There is much to be learned from Nazi policy and …

Mediation Analysis Of A Broader Conceptualization Of The Three-Step Theory Of Suicidality, Ana V. Garcia Villasana

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Unsatisfactory results for the aim of reducing suicide rates have motivated the creation of new models to predict suicide, such as the ideation-to-action framework, which focuses on differentiating those with suicidal ideation and those who attempt suicide. The most recently published theory on the ideation-to-action framework is the Three-Step Theory (3ST). Step 1 proposes that the combination of pain and hopelessness causes suicidal ideation, step 2 proposes that ideation increases when pain and hopelessness surpass connectedness, and step 3 proposes that strong suicidal ideation escalates to action when the person has the capacity to attempt suicide. The theory’s concepts are …

Break The No Lunch Break Habit, Mayleen Gonzalez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A plethora of extant research focuses on the positive outcomes of recovering from the workday. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been more of a focus on how employees can recover during the workday as individuals are regularly experiencing pressure from the workplace. This thesis explicitly explores the relationship between various lunch break habits (e.g., eating during one's lunch break, not eating during one's lunch break, multitasking during one's lunch break) and psychological wellbeing, physiological strain, and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB). To add to the current research, the impact of ego depletion on the relationship is also studied. A …

The Evolution Of Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Health Outcomes, Megan T. Hoang

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Health disparities between different racial/ethnic groups in the United States are substantial. When reviewed across an extensive body of literature, these disparities have been demonstrated to persist even when socioeconomic status, geographic region, health conditions, treatment methods, and patient access-related variables are controlled. This ultimately leads to higher mortality rates among minority patients, making disparities in health a highly prevalent issue. However, the literature suggests that while racial and ethnic disparities in health have been widely examined, research documenting the evolution of these changes over time is lacking. This motivates the research questions: (1) How has the impact of racial …

Tomboys: The Role Of Protective Identity In The Gender Binary, Jalen C. Grant

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examined the biases of individuals regarding what is perceived as feminine and what is masculine, as well as the freedoms and limitations of being labeled a tomboy. This research examined the associations among several factors: perceptions of masculine and feminine traits, perceptions of lesbian and gay identity, self-identification, and the confluence of tomboy and lesbian identity. Students in high enrollment psychology courses at a large southeastern metropolitan university (N = 385) participated in an anonymous online survey. A series of hypotheses were generated but results were highly inconsistent. Possible reasons for these inconsistencies are explored with an eye …