Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Common Characteristics Of Young People Who Text: The Connection To Autonomy, Identity And Self-Esteem, Elizabeth M. Davis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the relationship between adolescents' use of texting and their level of identity development, cognitive autonomy, and self-esteem. One hundred and nineteen Utah State University students participated in this study by filling out a questionnaire that included a section designed specifically to learn the texting habits of the participants, and also included sections derived from previously existing measures on identity, autonomy, and self-esteem.

The results show statistical significance of age and texting. Participants who were 23 years+ sent significantly less than those participants who were 19-22 years. Areas of gender, identity, and self-esteem were also analyzed. Implications of …

An Examination Of Integrated Rural Tourism Development In The Goris Region Of Armenia, Luke Alan Petersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Rural tourism is a popular development tool in both developed and developing countries. However, rural economic development can be problematic when considering the diversity of resources and stakeholder groups. In the Republic of Armenia the current system of tourism development is not benefiting rural communities in the regions. This study seeks to provide a deeper understanding of community dynamics in the rural region of Goris through the study of tourism integration. A novel assessment tool is implemented which provides a systematic qualitative evaluation of stakeholder perceptions through which strengths and weaknesses of the local tourism sector are derived. Data extracted …

Resident Attitudes Toward Community Development Alternatives, Chih-Yao Chang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utilizing survey data collected in four communities in the State of Utah, this study examined the extent to which rural resident perceptions and attitudes toward local community circumstances influence their own expectations and attitudes subjectively toward future community development alternatives. Understanding perceptions of community and community development, as well as the patterns of localized community development, is crucial and needs to consider residents' opinions and attitudes toward unique rural economic, environmental, and social conditions in order to help preserve the unique characteristics of the way of life while continuing economic improvement and social betterment in rural areas.

Three conceptual frameworks …

The Evolution And Application Of An Integrated Theoretical Approach To Couple Therapy: A Case Study, Mathew C. Withers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Few therapists test their assumptions about how they do therapy against what they actually do. The purpose of this study was to test how well integration is practiced within the proposed theoretical framework of one therapist. Qualitative and quantitative data were designed to answer four research questions: fidelity to the integrated model, client change, how working with the integrated model influenced ongoing sessions or cases, and change in the integrated model through the course of the study. Three couples were used as the sample; 17 sessions were coded and analyzed to answer the research questions. Results indicate that the therapist …

Three Essays In Forward Rate Unbiasedness Hypothesis, Devalina Chatterjee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this dissertation is to verify and explain the forward exchange rate unbiasedness hypothesis in the foreign exchange market. Since in most of the cases the unbiasedness hypothesis fails to hold, we try to provide three different explanations of this puzzling behavior in the three essays. The first essay tries to resolve the forward premium puzzle by addressing the model misspecification issue and thereby adding a time-varying risk premium term in the percentage change specification. The risk premium term is modeled using the GARCH-M representation and the model is estimated by applying a GARCH (1, 1) specification. The …

Object-Based Segmentation And Classification Of One Meter Imagery For Use In Forest Management Plans, W. Kevin Wells

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research developed an ArcGIS Python model that extracts polygons from aerial imagery and assigns each polygon a vegetation type based on a modified set of landcover classes from the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project. The model showed an ability to generate polygons that accurately represent vegetation community boundaries across a large landscape. The model is for use by the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands to assist in the preparation of forest management plans. The model was judged useful because it was easy to use, it met a designated 50% threshold of useable polygons, and it met …

A Comparative Study To Identify Factors Affecting Adoption Of Soil And Water Conservation Practices Among Smallhold Farmers In The Njoro River Watershed Of Kenya, Steven P. Huckett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Natural resource conservation is important for human well-being, especially in fragile environments of developing countries. This study occurred in 2006 among 6,500 smallhold farmers residing along a 25-km segment of a heavily utilized river. Research objectives were to determine use and adoption constraints for 14 soil and water conservation practices (SWCPs). Farms were reportedly contributing to a decline in river water quality via soil erosion. Recent occupation of the upper watershed by immigrants magnified concerns that resource degradation could escalate. A multi-method approach incorporating quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, and participant observation was used to interpret constraining factors within the biophysical …

An Entrepreneurial Approach To Librarianship, Flora Shrode, Jennifer Duncan, Wendy Holliday

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

Librarians from Utah State University explain recent efforts to encourage subject librarians to take a more holistic view of their roles. We are shifting from a traditional emphasis primarily on collection development and refocusing on natural connections between collections, instruction, liaison, and reference service. The poster provides background about Utah State University’s situation and explains our approach to analyzing local needs and culture to inform development of a new organizational structure. We describe our vision of subject librarianship, the process by which we assessed librarians’ ideas and goals for performing as subject librarians, and the actions we are taking to …

Marginalia No. 27, Merrill-Cazier Library

Marginalia

Dean Clement’s Letter: “the library remains an upbeat place”

2009 Winners: Leonard J. Arrington Mormon History Lecture awards

"Outcasts United" 2010 common literature experience … Randy Williams

A Genesis … Exhibition of John Ciardi’s poems & Gabor Peterdi etchings. Notes by Rose Milovich.

Research week 2010 … an Exhibit of recent USU faculty publications ... Jennifer Duncan

With Help from our Friends … Brad Cole on recent acquisitions – A Diet & Health book collection & John Suiter’s photographic archives.

Welcome New Merrill-Cazier Librarians: Kacy Lundstrom and Angela Dresselhaus.

The Library by the Numbers: An Annual Statistical Snapshot of the …

Reference Desk Consultation Assignment: An Exploratory Study Of Students' Perceptions Of Reference Service, Pamela N. Martin, Lezlie Park

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

This paper describes the experience of three sophomore English composition classes that were required to visit the reference desk for class credit. Student perceptions of reference consultations are analyzed to gain a clearer understanding of the students’ attitudes towards reference services. Findings of this exploratory study indicate that students still suffer from library anxiety and are much more likely to seek out reference help if they are convinced that a consultation will save them time.

An Entrepreneurial Approach To Subject Librarianship, Jennifer Duncan, Wendy Holliday, Flora Shrode

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Librarians from Utah State University explain recent efforts to encourage subject librarians to take a more holistic view of their roles. We are shifting from a traditional emphasis primarily on collection development and refocusing on natural connections between collections, instruction, liaison, and reference service. The poster provides background about Utah State University's situation and explains our approach to analyzing local needs and culture to inform development of a new organizational structure. We describe our vision of subject librarianship, the process by which we assessed librarians' ideas and goals for performing as subject librarians, and the actions we are taking to …

Invisible Abuse: Utah's Response To Emotional Child Abuse, Janae Sirrine

Browse All Undergraduate research

The very nature of emotional child abuse makes it difficult to detect and report. Nevertheless, scholars and professionals in the field of child welfare have identified emotional abuse as being equally detrimental to children as physical abuse and neglect. Many states, including Utah, have unclear definitions of emotional child abuse. The purpose of this study is to interpret how Utah has used its statute on emotional abuse in the court system and whether the current definition of emotional child abuse has given Utah’s courts enough information and direction to prosecute those who emotionally abuse children. Data were collected by researching …

International Masters Program In Europe : A Model For The Us?, Margaret A. Shannon

Conference on University Education in Natural Resources

No abstract provided.

International Forestry Master Programmes Within The Bologna Process, Siegfried Lewark

Conference on University Education in Natural Resources

No abstract provided.

Why Natural Resources Faculty Should Welcome Online Education, John Sener

Conference on University Education in Natural Resources

No abstract provided.

You Can't Have It All (But You Can Still Have Plenty): An Optimist's Guide To The Future Of Natural Resources, Larry Nielsen

Conference on University Education in Natural Resources

No abstract provided.

Can Fighting Grade Inflation Help The Bottom Line?, Arthur J. Caplan, John Gilbert

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This article uses a rich set of student transcript data to estimate the economic cost incurred by a university when it does not adopt a ‘mean-shift grading policy’ to fight grade inflation. We show that even in the face of moral hazard constraints a university can enhance its profitability by fighting grade inflation with a distribution-shifting policy.

Gis-Based Estimation Of Marginal Implicit Prices Of Housing Amenities: The Case Of High Ground And Stagnant Streams, Arthur J. Caplan

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

We use GIS and econometric methods to estimate the marginal implicit values of environmental amenities associated with residential land parcels in the mountain town of Logan, Utah. Amenities include proximity to open spaces (such as parks, golf courses and lakes), commercial zones, major roads, streams, and general visibility of surrounding topography in the valley as determined by the elevation of the land parcel. The amenity value estimates are corrected for spatial autocorrelation. We find spatially dependent relationships between (1) a parcel’s value and its elevation, and (2) a parcel’s value and its adjacency to a stagnant stream. To our knowledge, …

Estimating Hypothetical Bias In Economically Emergent Africa: A Generic Public Good Experiment, Arthur J. Caplan, David Aadland, Anthony Macharia

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This paper reports results from a contingent valuation based public good experiment conducted in the African nation of Botswana. In a sample of university students, we find evidence that stated willingness to contribute to a public good in a hypothetical setting is higher than actual contribution levels. However, results from regression analysis suggest that this is true only in the second round of the experiment, when participants making actual contributions have learned to significantly lower their contribution levels. As globalization expands markets, and economies such as Botswana's continue to modernize, there is a growing need to understand how hypothetical bias …

Japanese Demon Lore, Noriko T. Reider

All USU Press Publications

Oni, ubiquitous supernatural figures in Japanese literature, lore, art, and religion, usually appear as demons or ogres. Characteristically threatening, monstrous creatures with ugly features and fearful habits, including cannibalism, they also can be harbingers of prosperity, beautiful and sexual, and especially in modern contexts, even cute and lovable. There has been much ambiguity in their character and identity over their long history. Usually male, their female manifestations convey distinctivly gendered social and cultural meanings.

Oni appear frequently in various arts and media, from Noh theater and picture scrolls to modern fiction and political propaganda, They remain common figures in popular …

Does "Free Sampling" Enhance The Value Of Public Goods?, Arthur J. Caplan, Douglas Jackson-Smith, Sandra Marquart-Pyatt

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This study investigates whether a ‘free sampling’ marketing strategy induces an enduring WTP premium effect for public goods. Using data from a unique field experiment involving curbside recycling, we find that the premium effect associated with providing non-participating households a brief opportunity to participate in a curbside recycling program for free is relatively small and not enduring. It may therefore not be cost effective to offer a free-sampling participation incentive for this type (or similar types) of local public good(s).

Status And Prospects For The Wisconsin Dairy Goat Sector, Douglas B. Jackson-Smith

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

The Wisconsin dairy goat industry is a diverse, vibrant and robust sector that has grown rapidly over the last decade. Goat milk output has increased several-fold in the last ten years, and retail markets for goat cheese appear to be increasing at double-digit annual rates. The most recent data shows just over 200 licensed farms in Wisconsin in 2009. According to 2006 numbers, Wisconsin dairy goat farms were milking an average of 118 does that produced 1,416 lbs. On average, Wisconsin dairy goat farms were both larger and more productive on a per animal basis than farms in any other …

Fairy Tale Films, Pauline Greenhill, Sidney Eve Matrix

All USU Press Publications

In this, the first collection of essays to address the development of fairy tale film as a genre, Pauline Greenhill and Sidney Eve Matrix stress, "the mirror of fairy-tale film reflects not so much what its audience members actually are but how they see themselves and their potential to develop (or, likewise, to regress)." As Jack Zipes says further in the foreword, “Folk and fairy tales pervade our lives constantly through television soap operas and commercials, in comic books and cartoons, in school plays and storytelling performances, in our superstitions and prayers for miracles, and in our dreams and daydreams. …

Exploring Desert Stone, Steven K. Madsen

All USU Press Publications

The confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers, now in Canyonlands National Park, near popular tourist destination Moab, still cannot be reached or viewed easily. Much of the surrounding region remained remote and rarely visited for decades after settlement of other parts of the West. The first U.S. government expedition to explore the canyon country and the Four Corners area was led by John Macomb of the army's topographical engineers. The soldiers and scientists followed in part the Old Spanish Trail, whose location they documented and verified. Seeking to find the confluence of the Colorado and the Green and looking …

Digital Commons Annual Report: Year Two 2009-2010, Heather Leary

Digital Commons Reports

This report shows the progress for Utah State University's Digital Commons repository during it's second year, from Noveber 1, 2009 through October 31, 2010.

Review Of ‘Competitive Irish Dance: Art, Sport, Duty’, Christie L. Fox

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Marginalia No. 28, Merrill-Cazier Library

Marginalia

No abstract provided.

Examining The Compatibility Between Forestry Incentive Programs In The Us And The Practice Of Sustainable Forest Management, Steven E. Daniels, Michael A. Kilgore, Michael G. Jacobsen, John L. Greene, Thomas J. Straka

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

This research explores the intersection between the various federal and state forestry incentive programs and the adoption of sustainable forestry practices on non-industrial private forest (NIPF) lands in the US. The qualitative research reported here draws upon a series of eight focus groups of NIPF landowners (two each in Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina). Despite minor regional variations, the dominant theme that emerged is that these landowners’ purchase and management decisions are motivated by the “trilogy” of forest continuity, benefit to the owner, and doing the “right thing.” This trilogy is quite consistent with notions of sustainable forestry, but …

The Library As Publisher: Increasing Library Relevance Through Institutional Repository Services, Richard W. Clement

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Scribal Practice In The Beowulf Manuscript, Richard W. Clement

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

There was a time, not too long ago, when we thought we knew a great deal more about Beowulf than we do now. We knew that the poem, originally a work of oral composition, had first been written down in the seventh century and had been copied repeatedly until the final copy (our extant manuscript: British Library, Cotton, Vitellius, A.XV, ff. 94-209) was made sometime around 1000 AD. That particular manuscript, now known as the Nowell Codex, was the product of a single scriptorium, the work of two scribes, who included Beowulf in a single multi-text volume which emphasized monsters. …