Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 31 - 57 of 57
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Payday Lending In America: Profitability And Regulation In The Payday Lending Market, Orion Wilcox
Payday Lending In America: Profitability And Regulation In The Payday Lending Market, Orion Wilcox
Honors Theses
Payday lending is a highly contentious form of credit. Consumer advocates often argue for strict regulation or complete banning of the industry based on the idea that payday lending rates are usurious. Providers of payday loans argue that their product offers access to credit that would not be available otherwise. In order to reconcile this debate, I analyze financial data on the largest payday lender in the country Advance America. Furthermore, I examine the 2008 Arkansas payday lending law to analyze the impact of the ban on bounced check fees, overdraft charges, and Non-Sufficient Funds charges at state chartered Arkansas …
The Effectiveness Of Basel Ii, Rachel Shaw
The Effectiveness Of Basel Ii, Rachel Shaw
Honors Theses
The New Capital Accord, Basel II, was published in 2004. It features updated capital requirements and new ways to measure bank risk; however, the validity of these new standards was called into question during the financial crisis that began in 2008. The measures that intend to stabilize our banking system did not appear sufficient. Doubt was cast upon capital requirements, and the advantages of another system, such as contingent liability, can be seen. This thesis aims to test the effectiveness of Basel II, specifically its capital requirements, in reducing bank risk. After running a fixed effects model, one can clearly …
The Role Of The United States Navy In Sustaining And Protecting The Global Economy, Richard U. Beneke
The Role Of The United States Navy In Sustaining And Protecting The Global Economy, Richard U. Beneke
Honors Theses
Because of the rapid changes occurring in the world, the United States government is being forced to evaluate if the navy has become obsolete. With current cuts coming to the navy it seemed an important aspect to investigate. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether or not the United States should cut funding for the Navy by looking specifically at the impact the United States Navy has on the Global Economy by securing shipping lanes and the free navigation of the sea. The study will be conducted as a literature review. In the thesis, the nature of …
The Termination Of Government Programs: A Case Study Of The Recovery Audit Contracting Program, Ryan Henry
The Termination Of Government Programs: A Case Study Of The Recovery Audit Contracting Program, Ryan Henry
Honors Theses
One common view is that a majority of government programs persist beyond their useful lifespans giving the impression that once installed, government programs are 'immortal'. However, termination of government programs is an essential element in the policy making process. Several factors determine the projected lifespan of a program, and a program may be effectively terminated using several mechanisms. An analysis of the Recovery Audit Contracting program, a program designed to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid systems, shows that watchdog programs are inherently more prone to termination than other types of government programs.
#Livetweetmylecture: A Look At Note-Taking Consolidation, Retention, And Test Performance In Students Using Twitter Vs. Traditional Typed Notes, Samra B. Ward
Honors Theses
This study investigated how different types of note-taking affect college students' retention of classroom material. In particular, this study looked at whether live-tweeting lecture material would result in better retention of the material presented in a lecture than traditional note-taking on a laptop. It was hypothesized that students who took notes via live-tweeting would have comparable results to those who took notes in the traditional computer format. In addition, it was also hypothesized that a person's familiarity with Twitter would likely affect his or her ability to use Twitter as an educational tool. In order to test this hypothesis, participants …
Perceptions Of Cold Case Work In Mississippi Law Enforcement, Lindsey Pittman
Perceptions Of Cold Case Work In Mississippi Law Enforcement, Lindsey Pittman
Honors Theses
The purpose of this study is to see whether law enforcement personnel in Mississippi believe cold case units and, specifically, analysts are beneficial and worthwhile. This study will focus primarily on whether having used the Mississippi Cold Case Unit (MCCU) has had an impact on people’s perception of analysts and analytical methods within the law enforcement community. The study was conducted through the use of an online survey using Qualtrics Research Suite (Appendix A).The responses were then analyzed using the statistical software GraphPad Prism 6. Responses showed that there is very little difference in perception of the MCCU between those …
Can We Institute Medical Trust? An Exploratory Case Study Of Patient-Staff Relations At A Community Health Center In The Mississippi Delta, Emma L. Willoughby
Can We Institute Medical Trust? An Exploratory Case Study Of Patient-Staff Relations At A Community Health Center In The Mississippi Delta, Emma L. Willoughby
Honors Theses
The purpose of this study was to use the concept of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model and the case of the community health center (CHC) to explore social interaction and trust between patients and medical providers. While the PCMH model is being championed as revolutionizing and improving healthcare delivery, little evidence has yet to support the formation of basic social and health mechanisms, such as trust, that would result in positive health outcomes. The model's guidelines focus more on healthcare organization and information technology than developing interpersonal relationships and adapting services to meet the specific needs of diverse populations. …
Ncaa At The Crossroads: How O'Bannon V. Ncaa Could Change College Sports, Evan Brewster
Ncaa At The Crossroads: How O'Bannon V. Ncaa Could Change College Sports, Evan Brewster
Honors Theses
This thesis investigates the current model of American college athletics and how football and basketball, specifically, have become extremely commercialized. This piece begins with an analysis of the current state of amateur college athletics and the changes that have taken place recently. O'Bannon v. NCAA signifies the one of the most recent challenges to NCAA power, attempting to change the unjust system that requires student-athletes to remain amateur while universities profit off the athletic contests. An evaluation of previous legal challenges to the NCAA help frame an assessment of the case itself thus far. To conclude, cases like O'Bannon and …
Collaborations Of Hope: Network Theory And The Assessment Of Anti-Human Trafficking Nonprofits' Relationships, Gabrielle Barrientos
Collaborations Of Hope: Network Theory And The Assessment Of Anti-Human Trafficking Nonprofits' Relationships, Gabrielle Barrientos
Honors Theses
My research utilizes network theory to assess nonprofits' relationships in the anti- human trafficking sector. I explore nonprofit relationships with other anti-human trafficking nonprofits and governmental agencies through a survey I developed and administered to anti-human trafficking nonprofits and coalitions. I selected all survey recipients because of their focus on addressing human trafficking. Out of 50 organizations, 16 participated in the survey. I found that all of these organizations collaborated with other nonprofits and all but one with government. All organizations valued nonprofit collaboration and all but one valued government collaboration. The majority or organizations valued both collaborations equally, which …
The Evolution Of A Social Movement: A Study Of The Madres De Plaza De Mayo, Grace Anne Boyd
The Evolution Of A Social Movement: A Study Of The Madres De Plaza De Mayo, Grace Anne Boyd
Honors Theses
This thesis investigates the evolution of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo social movement in Argentina from 1979-2014. The Madres de Plaza de Mayo are a social movement that initiated protests against the military junta that controlled Argentina from 1976-1982. The Madres were the mothers of people the junta had disappeared during its regime, and the protests were a demand for information about the missing children. After the fall of the dictatorship, the movement continued its protest for information. During this time, the movement underwent a structural split that coincided with ideological structure. I analyzed both internal and external factors …
The Success Of An Ethnic Political Party: A Case Study Of Arab Political Parties In Israel, Samira Abunemeh
The Success Of An Ethnic Political Party: A Case Study Of Arab Political Parties In Israel, Samira Abunemeh
Honors Theses
Israeli Arab political parties are observed to determine if these ethnic political parties are successful in Israel. A brief explanation of four Israeli Arab political parties, Hadash, Arab Democratic Party, Balad, and United Arab List, is given as well as a brief description of Israeli history and the Israeli political system. The total performance as well as individual party performances is compared to the percentage of Israeli Arabs in Israeli society in order to determine that overall Israeli Arab political parties are not successful, although there are nuances to the term of success that the parties achieve.
French Ideology Of English As A World Language And American Second Language Speakers, Sarah Price Wright
French Ideology Of English As A World Language And American Second Language Speakers, Sarah Price Wright
Honors Theses
French Ideology of English as a World Language and American Second Language Speakers compares French ideology of American English and French ideology of the American accent in French to investigate if the two correlate. The study seeks to answer the question: Is ideology linked to the speech community represented or is it linked to the language forms themselves? The study includes a literature review of previously published studies on the subjects of French ideology of English as a World Language, the competition between French and English as a lingua franca, French perceptions of second language speakers, and the American accent …
Chile Se Moviliza: Protest Movements And Inequality In Post-Dictatorship Chile, Shruti Jaishankar
Chile Se Moviliza: Protest Movements And Inequality In Post-Dictatorship Chile, Shruti Jaishankar
Honors Theses
On March 11, 1990, Augusto Pinochet, one of Latin America's most infamous dictators, left office after Chileans ordered him to step down in a nationwide plebiscite. Since Pinochet harshly punished any and all dissenters, protests re-emerged in Chile as a popular form of political action. In this thesis, I examine the relationship between economic and political inequality and the frequency of protests and peaceful demonstrations in the country. I examine the theory behind why people protest, and later examine the history of individual protest movements (such as the Chilean Education Movement). Lastly, I run a regression to evaluate the relationship …
Modeling Nitroglycerin-Induced Migraine In Rats, Stephanie Staszko
Modeling Nitroglycerin-Induced Migraine In Rats, Stephanie Staszko
Honors Theses
The present research sought to determine whether nitroglycerin (NTG) produced changes in clinically relevant endophenotypes of migraine. Rats were given a single injection of NTG or vehicle with the following dependent measures recorded: Rat Grimace Scale, hot and cold tail flick latency, Rotor-Rod performance, and photophobia and movement in traditional and modified light/dark boxes. NTG increased rat grimace scores but did not produce thermal allodynia nor photophobia. Further, NTG produced paradoxical increases in Rotor-Rod performance and movement. These results demonstrate that a single injection of NTG does not produce behaviors that parallel clinical symptoms of migraine.
Ja, Ich Will: Framing The Same-Sex Marriage Debate In The 17th Session Of The German Bundestag, Stephen Colby Woods
Ja, Ich Will: Framing The Same-Sex Marriage Debate In The 17th Session Of The German Bundestag, Stephen Colby Woods
Honors Theses
In 2001, Germany passed the Life Partnership Act (Gesetz über die Eingetragene Lebenspartnerschaft), establishing civil partnerships for same-sex couples. At the time, Germany was a forerunner in the legal recognition of same-sex relationships. Despite the approval of 74% of Germans, same-sex marriage was a fiercely debated topic from 2009 to 2013 in the 17th session of the Bundestag. During this session, the Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, and Free Democratic Party make up the Majority government, and the Social Democratic Party, Alliance 90/the Greens, and the Left made up the Opposition. This thesis uses framing theory to examine what …
Identifying Causes Of Variation Among Per Capita Incomes Of Sub-Saharan African States, Vinod Kannuthurai
Identifying Causes Of Variation Among Per Capita Incomes Of Sub-Saharan African States, Vinod Kannuthurai
Honors Theses
In this work, the author utilized a statistical analysis to assess variations in per capita incomes among sub-Saharan African states. The factors tested include education and healthcare investment, mineral and oil dependence, agricultural dependence, landmass size, population size, level of instability, economic freedom, and political freedom. Although the author found mineral and oil dependence to be the most statistically significant factor in determining variations in per capita income, there was still a great deal of variation among sub-Saharan African countries with mineral and oil dependence. Thus, the author employed a case-study involving Botswana and Zambia, two commodity dependent states with …
The Currency Union Effect On Trade: The Role Of Financial Development, Walker Lee Messer
The Currency Union Effect On Trade: The Role Of Financial Development, Walker Lee Messer
Honors Theses
The effect of currency union formation on trade growth may depend on an economy's level of financial development. Economies with lower levels of financial development have less capacity to hedge exchange rate risk, are susceptible to hysteresis, and have little to overcome the large fixed costs of entering foreign markets. These barriers may be partially overcome through the use of common currencies. Economies with high levels of financial development may already be capable of overcoming these barriers to trade and will likely not gain significant trade from common currency formation. This paper tests the hypothesis that the currency union effect …
Analysis Of Body Type Preferences Among Young Adults, Khyati Maheshkumar Ganatra
Analysis Of Body Type Preferences Among Young Adults, Khyati Maheshkumar Ganatra
Honors Theses
Based on a study conducted by Devendra Singh in 1993, it is believed that males prefer females with a lower waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7, as compared to higher ones. This may be due to the evolutionary advantage of these females being more fertile and able to reproduce. However, social media has been suggesting that thinner females are more attractive. One way society measures thinness is by a characteristic known as the 'thigh-gap' that many females strive to obtain. This study was conducted to discover whether or not a difference exists between males and females regarding their preference of the thigh-gap …
Online Sales Tax Policy: A Study Of New York And Georgia State Laws And The Federal Marketplace Fairness Act, Madison Elizabeth Coburn
Online Sales Tax Policy: A Study Of New York And Georgia State Laws And The Federal Marketplace Fairness Act, Madison Elizabeth Coburn
Honors Theses
The physical presence standard for remote sales tax collection, established in 1967, remains the standard for sales tax collection today. Advances in technology have led to increases in online shopping. Online retailers act under the physical presence standard. Throughout the United States, many individual states are facing economic challenges either as a result of or in conjunction with states' inability to collect sales tax from some online vendors without a physical presence in the state. The challenges include loss of revenue due to uncollected online sales tax and lack of fairness for brick-and-mortar retailers that do remit sales tax to …
An Investigation Of The Effects Of Hysteresis On The Rotation Percept, Maximilian James Shumake
An Investigation Of The Effects Of Hysteresis On The Rotation Percept, Maximilian James Shumake
Honors Theses
Although much research has been done on the role of hysteresis in apparent motion displays, no research has investigated the effects of hysteresis for rotary motion. The present experiment sought to determine and quantify the effects of hysteresis on the rotation percept. Participants viewed two types of apparent motion stimuli, which consisted of tokens appearing to move in a clockwise, counterclockwise, or chaotic fashion. One of the displays slowly changed from favoring a percept of rotation to a percept of non-rotation and vice versa. We fit the data using a logistic function and compared the point at which the direction …
The Smoke Free Campus Movement, Daniel Roberts
The Smoke Free Campus Movement, Daniel Roberts
Honors Theses
The aim of this thesis is to investigate the rising number of smoke free college and university campuses in the United States and to identify the mechanisms that can be used to implement a national policy requiring all colleges and universities to be smoke free. To fully investigate this topic, I utilized qualitative research through analyses from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, reports from the Surgeon General, a tobacco control legal consortium, newspaper articles, television news reports, websites of colleges and universities with smoke free policies, to consolidate the research into an overarching picture of the current climate …
An Analysis Of New Performance Metrics In The Nba And Their Effects On Win Production And Salary, Daniel Rust
An Analysis Of New Performance Metrics In The Nba And Their Effects On Win Production And Salary, Daniel Rust
Honors Theses
In this study I perform statistical analysis on new metrics in the NBA designed to expose information about the inputs of basketball production. These input data were collected manually for every NBA player in the 2012-13 season, along with common advanced statistics. With these new metrics regression analysis is used to separately determine their effects on existing win production metrics and salary. In this analysis I control for team and position effects. Once these effects were determined, I was able to compare them and look for specific skills or strategies that may be undervalued or overvalued by NBA teams relative …
Attaching Meaning To Sex: Attachment Styles And Possible Mediators Of Safe Sex Behavior, Dominic Antonacci
Attaching Meaning To Sex: Attachment Styles And Possible Mediators Of Safe Sex Behavior, Dominic Antonacci
Honors Theses
Attachment theory, first posited by Bowlby (1969, 1973, 1980), has been expanded and applied to many aspects of human development as well as to adult relationships. Hazan and Shaver (1987), for example, define romantic relationships as an interaction between caregiving, attachment, and sex. It would then be expected that attachment has an effect on sexual behavior, and indeed, Strachman and Impett (2009) have reported that anxious individuals are typically less likely to use condoms than avoidant individuals. This study attempted to explore the link between attachment and beliefs about sex and condom use as possible mediators for the differences seen …
The Changing Climate And Adaptation Strategies For The Mississippi Delta, John Jenks
The Changing Climate And Adaptation Strategies For The Mississippi Delta, John Jenks
Honors Theses
No abstract provided.
Observing Academic Performance Based On Increased Educational Spending: An Assessment Of The Fedex Center At The University Of Mississippi, Matthew Williams
Observing Academic Performance Based On Increased Educational Spending: An Assessment Of The Fedex Center At The University Of Mississippi, Matthew Williams
Honors Theses
In 2007, the FedEx Student-Athlete Academic Support Center, a renovation from the Starnes Center, was completed at the University of Mississippi to provide student- athletes a facility to improve academic performance in the classroom. FedEx donated $2.5 million to the project, covering half of the total expenditure. This private funding presents an opportunity to study how increased spending on education affected performance amongst student athletes in the classroom. Using semester-by-semester GPA of student-athletes and graduation rates from 2003 to 2009, it is possible to identify which students were exposed to the new facilities and thus, able to assess the effect …
The Use Of Occitan Dialects In Languedoc-Roussillon, France, Virginia Jane Geddie
The Use Of Occitan Dialects In Languedoc-Roussillon, France, Virginia Jane Geddie
Honors Theses
Since the medieval period, the Occitan dialects of southern France have been a significant part of the culture of the Midi region of France. In the past, it was the language of the state and literature. However, Occitan dialects have been in a slow decline, beginning with the Ordinance of Villers-Coterêts in 1539 which banned the use of Occitan in state affairs. While this did little to affect the daily life and usage of Occitan, it established a precedent that is still referred to in modern arguments about the use of regional languages (Costa, 2). In the beginning of the …
Integrated Conservation And Development Projects (Icdps): Characteristics Of Success And Recommendations For Implementation, Emory Smith
Honors Theses
The aim of this study is to investigate integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs) and to help improve their future implementation by identifying the underlying philosophies that make ICDPs successful. Conserving natural ecosystems in developing regions is important, but it is difficult because local people use those ecosystems for their sustenance and are not capable of forgoing that use unless some other means exists for them to earn a living. Consequently, ICDP emerged in the early 1990's as a means to both conserve natural resources and provide economic development for the local people. This thesis provides an in-depth analysis of …