Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
File Type

Articles 2791 - 2820 of 5497

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Invisible Effects Of Partner Psychological Aggression, Galana Tennille Chookolingo Jan 2016

Invisible Effects Of Partner Psychological Aggression, Galana Tennille Chookolingo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Partner psychological aggression has been shown to be positively correlated with psychological distress and low self-esteem for women. This study adds to the existing literature by including research on men since very little research had been done on the effects of partner psychological aggression and the self-esteem of men. However, there were a limited number of men who participated in this study and who endorsed experiencing partner psychological aggression. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted with data from 153 males and females (N = 153) from national colleges and community samples to explore the relationship amongst partner psychological aggression, psychological …


The Role Of Self-Focused Cognition In Emotion Regulation, Ana Maria Draghici Jan 2016

The Role Of Self-Focused Cognition In Emotion Regulation, Ana Maria Draghici

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present dissertation reports a set of three studies that sought to characterize the effects of self-focused cognition on emotion regulation, specifically, cognitive reappraisal. Across the three studies, I investigated the effects of self-distancing, disengagement of self-focused thought, and changing the content of self-focused thought on multiple measures of emotion regulation success and emotion regulation difficulty. Results broadly suggested that disengaging self-focused cognition provides distinct advantages for emotion regulation, which are independent of effects on emotional reactivity. Specifically, I observed that other-focused cognition resulted in equally successful, but less difficult emotion regulation, the ability to more quickly disengage from self-focused …


Fluorine Dating Of Human Bone At The Pre-Columbian Maya Cemetery Of Caves Branch Rockshelter, Belize, Morgan Isaacs Jan 2016

Fluorine Dating Of Human Bone At The Pre-Columbian Maya Cemetery Of Caves Branch Rockshelter, Belize, Morgan Isaacs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis tests the ion-selective electrode fluorine dating method on the remains from the Maya mortuary site Caves Branch Rockshelter (CBR) in Belize. CBR is a cemetery containing at least 400 burials from the late Preclassic to the Postclassic periods. The intensive use and reuse of the site has disturbed the burial matrices, making it difficult to seriate the burials. Fluorine dating analyzes the amount of fluorine that has accumulated in bone over time. In principle, an older burial will contain more fluorine from groundwater than a more recently buried bone; however, this principle must be tested at each site …


Dining With The Cyborgs: Disembodied Consumption And The Rhetoric Of Food Media In The Digital Age, Maggie Cotto Jan 2016

Dining With The Cyborgs: Disembodied Consumption And The Rhetoric Of Food Media In The Digital Age, Maggie Cotto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project explores digital media productions based specifically on food and cooking in order to demonstrate that new communication technologies are increasingly incorporating all five of the bodily senses. In doing so, they contribute significantly to the emergence of new ideological apparatuses appropriate for a global community. These apparatuses – including the formation of a posthumanist subject, the use of technology to support embodied cognition, and the establishment of entertainment as an ideological institution – have become the harbingers of a rhetorical evolution. Based on the work of Gregory Ulmer, along with Jacques Derrida, N. Katherine Hayles, Donna Haraway, and …


Wounded Warrior Or War Hero? Or Maybe, Neither?: Resisting Common Tropes Of The Veteran And Developing Digital Literacy Practices Via Narrative Building And Identity Presentation In Social Networking Spaces, Cassandra Branham Jan 2016

Wounded Warrior Or War Hero? Or Maybe, Neither?: Resisting Common Tropes Of The Veteran And Developing Digital Literacy Practices Via Narrative Building And Identity Presentation In Social Networking Spaces, Cassandra Branham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project reports on the results of a study that investigated the social networking use of student and non-student veterans, with a particular focus on the narrative building and identity presentation practices involved in this use. In this dissertation, I argue that stereotypical and exclusionary tropes of the veteran, such as the veteran as war hero and the veteran as wounded warrior, are damaging to our veterans and to others, in both the society and the classroom. However, through the detailed analysis of survey data and data collected from an interview and social networking profile tour with one student veteran …


Development Of A Definition And Measure For The Study Of Violent Mass Victimization, Mindy Weller Jan 2016

Development Of A Definition And Measure For The Study Of Violent Mass Victimization, Mindy Weller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For decades there has been a growing body of literature and research on the topic of mass murder with no attention paid to incidents of mass violence whose death toll falls just short of the minimum three body requirement. The purpose of this study is to address this gap and develop a valid and reliable definitional measure for the future study of violent mass victimization events. A mixed methods approach was employed and consisted of assessing 1,118 news articles collected from 42 U.S. states for the years of 2009 through 2012. These articles were collapsed into a sample size of …


The Attitude-Engagement Model Within-Persons: An Experience Sampling Study Of Job Attitudes And Behavioral Engagement, David Glerum Jan 2016

The Attitude-Engagement Model Within-Persons: An Experience Sampling Study Of Job Attitudes And Behavioral Engagement, David Glerum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although a large body of research has attempted to answer the question, "Is a happy worker a more productive worker?" by examining the relationship between job attitudes and behaviors, results are often inconsistent. Drawing upon Fishbein and Ajzen's (1974) compatibility principle as well as theory on job attitude change and dynamic performance, the current study sought to answer this question by examining the attitudes-performance relationship at the within-persons level of analysis. Specifically, an Attitude-Engagement Model that specifies a broad conceptualization of job attitudes and behavioral engagement should exhibit the strongest relationship between job attitudes and job behaviors (Harrison, Newman, & …


Analysis Of Alternative Convoy Route Patrol Procedures For Countering Improvised Explosive Devices Deployed During Asymmetric Warfare In Afghanistan-Like Rural Settings, Larry Baca Jan 2016

Analysis Of Alternative Convoy Route Patrol Procedures For Countering Improvised Explosive Devices Deployed During Asymmetric Warfare In Afghanistan-Like Rural Settings, Larry Baca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are the greatest casualty producing and costly weapon system employed by the enemy on the asymmetric battlefield of today. Despite Billions of dollars spent on technological devices to counter the IED threat, IEDs are still responsible for roughly 50% of battlefield casualties. A tremendous amount of effort and resource has and continues to be levied in the pursuit of a technological solution to the IED problem. By contrast, little research has been done on Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) procedures. This paper explores the potential of CIED procedures as a casualty reduction mechanism by comparing two …


The Hammer Or The Anvil: Developing Operational Adaptability Through Simulations At The Tactical Level, Michael Mccarthy Jan 2016

The Hammer Or The Anvil: Developing Operational Adaptability Through Simulations At The Tactical Level, Michael Mccarthy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Operational Adaptability is a vital characteristic identified by senior Army leaders in today's military force. The U.S. Army is struggling with the definition and training of operational adaptability at the tactical level. In order to be a critical enhancement to the operational mission, operational adaptability needs to be trained through a training model that supports current U.S. Army doctrine. To develop a base foundation of operational adaptability, Soldiers must train as a collective unit in a simulated operational environment in order to apply characteristics of operational adaptability.


Justifying War In Ukraine: An Analysis Of Speeches, Excerpts And Interviews By Vladimir Putin, Irene Goudimiak Jan 2016

Justifying War In Ukraine: An Analysis Of Speeches, Excerpts And Interviews By Vladimir Putin, Irene Goudimiak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For two years now the war in Southeast Ukraine has claimed approximately 10, 000 lives and countless casualties. Pegged as a civil war, the conflict is waging on between pro-Western nationalists and pro-Russian separatists. The war ignited after the public ousting of President Yanukovch in Maidan Square in the midst of thousands of protesters, and the subsequent annexation of Crimea. Although the Russian Federation maintains it does not have a military presence in Ukraine, U.S. intelligence and Ukrainian military officials have evidence otherwise. As a result, the West has imposed significant sanctions on "Putin's Russia". This study explores how Putin …


The Female Human Trafficker In The Criminal Justice System: A Test Of The Chivalry Hypothesis, Brielle Francis Jan 2016

The Female Human Trafficker In The Criminal Justice System: A Test Of The Chivalry Hypothesis, Brielle Francis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The involvement of women in human trafficking within the United States has received limited research attention. Human trafficking encompasses labor, sex, and organ trafficking (Roberts, 2012). In 2009 the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that women play a significant role in human trafficking. Nagel and Johnson (1994) conclude that, historically, female offenders have stayed at the edge of the criminal justice system. Generally, theories about prosecution and conviction outcomes derive from the study of male offenders. Women can be involved in all aspects of the human trafficking organizations, from the recruitment, to the supervision of prostitutes …


Sherlock Fandom Online: Toward An Ethic Of Advocacy, Jennifer Wojton Jan 2016

Sherlock Fandom Online: Toward An Ethic Of Advocacy, Jennifer Wojton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study applies theories of texts and technologies to examine ways in which fan culture and mainstream entertainment media can shape and be shaped by each other through digital interactions and negotiations. Further, it considers ways in which these interactions have potential to foster community building and advocacy efforts beyond the limitations of the screen. The analysis focuses, in particular, on the subject of asexuality as it is represented in BBC's 2010 television series, Sherlock, tracing the multiple ways in which the traditional boundaries between fans and entertainment professionals have been breached as each group works to engage the other …


Mutable Means: An Exploration Of Communication And Identity Through Visual And Verbal Deconstruction, Reina Castellanos Jan 2016

Mutable Means: An Exploration Of Communication And Identity Through Visual And Verbal Deconstruction, Reina Castellanos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly defined by my status as a Nonimmigrant Alien, I have lived longer in the United States than in my native Venezuela. Knowing my stay in this country will be temporary, I examine feelings of uncertainty about my future by deconstructing communication—both visual and verbal. Through ambiguity I express anxieties on my personal circumstances and retain objectivity in regard to my process through intellectual inquiry. I layer words, images, and sound to mirror my frustrations, and project the conflict of my internal dialogue.


From Ashes To Ashé: Memorializing Traumatic Events Through Participatory Digital Archives, Patricia Carlton Jan 2016

From Ashes To Ashé: Memorializing Traumatic Events Through Participatory Digital Archives, Patricia Carlton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic, cataclysmic events, whether caused by man-made or natural forces, threaten the safety, stability, and resilience of a community or state. Additionally, massive media exposure given to documenting and providing information, place the media consumers at psychological risk. As an alternative to broadcast news reports, online memorials and disaster archives provide the public the means and central locations for witnessing catastrophic events, as well as collectively commemorating and mourning the tragic losses. According to psychological and ethnographic research, narrativizing the trauma through shared memories and artifacts of mourning produce multiple therapeutic benefits, including the likely development of cognitive awareness, empathy, …


Devising Strategies, Managing Needs: A Multi-Level Study Of Homelessness In Central Florida, Rebecca Young Jan 2016

Devising Strategies, Managing Needs: A Multi-Level Study Of Homelessness In Central Florida, Rebecca Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The homeless are a marginalized population vulnerable to structural forces and policy decisions, including lack of affordable housing, systemic inequalities, and lack of adequate social safety net. Homelessness is commonly medicalized (linked to individual deviancy and mental illness) by service administrators and policymakers, causing structural causes to be overlooked. A "vertical slice" approach is particularly useful to show perspectives and strategies that affect homelessness from multiple levels. Using ethnographic research methods, this project explores homelessness in Central Florida from three distinct but interrelated angles: (1) the perspective of homeless persons, (2) the perspective of staff members at Hope Helps, a …


Rivalry-Prone Dyads? Interstate Religious Differences And Military Conflict, Manar Elkhaldi Jan 2016

Rivalry-Prone Dyads? Interstate Religious Differences And Military Conflict, Manar Elkhaldi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The link between religion and interstate military conflict has attracted a lot of attention among scholars of international relations and also foreign policy makers and religious organizations. This study examines whether religious differences between states in a dyad may partly affect various types of militarized conflict. It is argued in the literature that religion promotes stronger loyalty and sense of obligation than other cultural identities (Juergensmeyer, 1993); I argue that religious identity may be used by states effectively to mobilize people by means of rhetoric to generate and sustain popular support for conflict with other states. Thus I expect that …


Hegemony Of The Fourth And Fifth Estates: Exploration Of Ideology And False Consciousness In The Media, Anna Turner Jan 2016

Hegemony Of The Fourth And Fifth Estates: Exploration Of Ideology And False Consciousness In The Media, Anna Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hegemony is a process of dialectic political control. On one side, intellectuals use political and economic channels to convey an ideology, a set of principles, to the public, and on the other side, the public accepts this ideology, thus consenting to the status quo (Boggs, 1976). Research suggests that media are hegemonic entities that reinforce ideology (Bielby & Moloney, 2008; Lewis, 1999a). Traditional news media comprise the fourth estate, while the blogosphere, often heralded as media critics, constitutes the fifth. Limited research exists on the fifth estate, which, due to the ubiquity of the internet, has emerged as a public …


The Ontological Sociology Of Cryptocurrency: A Theoretical Exploration Of Bitcoin, Omar Eliud Villarreal Robledo Jan 2016

The Ontological Sociology Of Cryptocurrency: A Theoretical Exploration Of Bitcoin, Omar Eliud Villarreal Robledo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For millennia, money has been a basal element of everyday life reality in market-organized societies. Albeit money has changed extrinsically (e.g., form, use, utility) countless of times, some intrinsic characteristics remain the same, i.e., money is reified value. But why? What gives money value? Even more crucial, what is money in the first place? This exploratory study delves into the intricacies of money, in particular the revolutionary 21st century pecuniary techno-phenomenon, a cryptocurrency called Bitcoin. Though cryptocurrencies have been the topic of several financial and legal scholarly publications for a few years, we rather focus our analysis on Bitcoin's ontological …


Consumer Animosity In Cross Cultural Context, Anne-Marie Junker Jan 2016

Consumer Animosity In Cross Cultural Context, Anne-Marie Junker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social Entrepreneurship (SE) has shown to have substantial potential to address social concerns and it prompted the question if an SE might be a viable option for Native American groups in South Dakota. This unique situation could pose an additional challenge for marketers because of the common shared history that contributed to the current inequality. The SE could serve as a cue about unresolved tensions, prompting the question about possible morality and even culpability. Recent government actions regarding restoration and even restitution to Native Americans could signal changing attitudes regarding possible responsibility. Depending on personal beliefs and societal norms, this …


Identifying Data Centers From Satellite Imagery, Adam Buskirk Jan 2016

Identifying Data Centers From Satellite Imagery, Adam Buskirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We develop two different descriptors which can be utilized to describe satellite imagery. The first, the differential-magnitude and radius descriptor, describes a scene by computing the directional gradient of the scene with respect to a vector field whose solutions are circles around a pixel to be described, and then counts pixels in a descriptor matrix according to the magnitude of this gradient and the distance at which this magnitude occurs. The second, the radial Fourier descriptor, extracts from the scene a sequence of annuloid sectors, and uses this to approximate the behavior of the image on a circle around the …


Temporal And Spatial Influences On South Dakota Farm Economies Of Size, Henry Brown Jan 2016

Temporal And Spatial Influences On South Dakota Farm Economies Of Size, Henry Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Census of Agriculture data are evaluated to test for economies of size of South Dakota farms. Economies of size occur when per-unit costs decrease as the size of a firm increases. This research measures technical economies of size, which assume that all firms pay identical input prices and receive identical output prices. The dependent variable of the model is expenses per dollar of sales. This is a typical measure of efficiency in agricultural statistics. The data come from the four prior Census of Agriculture years, 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012. A state-wide model and a county-wide model were developed to …


Student-Athlete: A Study Of Student-Athlete Workload Compared With Traditional Student Workload, Chuck Provencio Jan 2016

Student-Athlete: A Study Of Student-Athlete Workload Compared With Traditional Student Workload, Chuck Provencio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze data on the workload of students and student-athletes to determine if there is a significant difference in the workloads of student-athletes compared with non-athletes, including undergraduate and graduate students. It was hypothesized that student-athletes would spend more time in athletic activities, but would sacrifice time in other areas. Method: This analysis of variance study collected data from 22 students at South Dakota State University using the Student Activity Log and categorized those students using a combination of three of six labels (student-athlete or non-athlete, undergraduate or graduate, and working …


Influencers And Barriers To Consumption Of Healthful Diets In Rural Youth In Context Of The Bioecological Model, Megan Bren Jan 2016

Influencers And Barriers To Consumption Of Healthful Diets In Rural Youth In Context Of The Bioecological Model, Megan Bren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine influencers and barriers to healthful dietary intake in rural youth in context of the bioecological model. Four focus groups as part of Ignite, a tri-state, five-year, community based partipatory research (CBPR) intervention were conducted with 6th to 8th grade adolescents from an economically disadvantaged community of rural South Dakota. Results were categorized into the context of the bioecological model. Within the model, the process, person, context and time (PPCT) design with the three types of personal characteristics were used to describe the framework in which the systems are embedded. Focus group content …


Understanding The Factors Associated With Engaged Scholarship: A Case Study Of Sociologists In The University Of Cape Coast, Ghana, Rebecca Maame Ahima Tachie Jan 2016

Understanding The Factors Associated With Engaged Scholarship: A Case Study Of Sociologists In The University Of Cape Coast, Ghana, Rebecca Maame Ahima Tachie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although initially established for the purpose of training teachers and management staff for the formal education sector, one of the major objectives of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) is to establish partnerships with both local and international communities and organizations in ways that simultaneously enhance academic scholarship and socioeconomic development. For this reason, this study examined the significance of university policies on community engagement and the practice of public sociology. Specifically, the influence of epistemological dispositions and perceptions concerning disciplinary, institutional and social demands on engaged scholarship are addressed. The challenges associated with the practice of engaged scholarship and …


Evaluation Of Bison (Bison Bison) Ecology At The Olson’S Bison Conservation Ranches, Pine River Ranch, Manitoba, Canada, Joshua L. Leonard Jan 2016

Evaluation Of Bison (Bison Bison) Ecology At The Olson’S Bison Conservation Ranches, Pine River Ranch, Manitoba, Canada, Joshua L. Leonard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bison (Bison bison), the largest mammalian species in North America, historically numbering in the tens of millions (Roe 1970, McHugh 1972, Dary 1989, Shaw 1995), was nearly extirpated at the turn of the 19th century (Knapp et al. 1999; Gates et al. 2010). At the time, estimates of less than 1,000 bison remaining in North America are widely accepted (Hornaday 1889; Seton 1927; Gates et al. 2010). The decline of bison includes factors such as disease (Flores 1991; Isenberg 2000), sport hunting (Danz 1997; Dary 1989; Hewitt 1919; Isenberg 2000; McHugh 1972), and unofficially funded commercial hunting by the U.S. …


Land Cover Land Use Change And Soil Organic Carbon Under Climate Variability In The Semi-Arid West African Sahel (1960-2050), Amadou M. Dieye Jan 2016

Land Cover Land Use Change And Soil Organic Carbon Under Climate Variability In The Semi-Arid West African Sahel (1960-2050), Amadou M. Dieye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Land Cover Land Use (LCLU) change affects land surface processes recognized to influence climate change at local, national and global levels. Soil organic carbon is a key component for the functioning of agro-ecosystems and has a direct effect on the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil. The capacity to model and project LCLU change is of considerable interest for mitigation and adaptation measures in response to climate change. A combination of remote sensing analyses, qualitative social survey techniques, and biogeochemical modeling was used to study the relationships between climate change, LCLU change and soil organic carbon in the …


Causes Of Alienation Among Black Students At Two Predominantly White Universities, Anton Mighty Jan 2016

Causes Of Alienation Among Black Students At Two Predominantly White Universities, Anton Mighty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that foster or inhibit the academic and social integration of Black students at two predominately white institutions. A second purpose of this study is to discover the factors influencing Black student alienation. The survey instrument was administered to 52 Black students (8.7% of the total Black student population) enrolled in two universities located in the upper Midwest. Six indices were developed for these independent variables: pre-entry characteristics, institutional environment, academic integration, faculty interaction, social integration, and peer involvement. The results of this study add to the limited literature on alienation …


Simulating The Impacts Of Land-Use Land-Cover Changes On Cropland Carbon Fluxes In The Midwest Of The United States, Zhengpeng Li Jan 2016

Simulating The Impacts Of Land-Use Land-Cover Changes On Cropland Carbon Fluxes In The Midwest Of The United States, Zhengpeng Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the major drivers of the cropland carbon fluxes is important for carbon management and greenhouse gas mitigation in agriculture. Past studies found that agricultural land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes, such as changes in cropland production technologies, tillage practices, and planted crop species, could have large impacts on carbon fluxes. However, the impacts remain highly uncertain at regional to global scales. Satellite remote sensing is commonly used to create products with geospatial information on LULC changes. This geospatial information can be integrated into biogeochemical models to simulate the spatial and temporal patterns of carbon fluxes. We used the General Ensemble …


Application Of Routine Activities Theory To The Study Of Residential Armed Robbery In Ghana, Neeh Nhai Lhayea Jan 2016

Application Of Routine Activities Theory To The Study Of Residential Armed Robbery In Ghana, Neeh Nhai Lhayea

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized Routine Activities theory to explain deterrent and motivating factors associated with residential armed robbery in Ghana. Although several studies have examined crime through the lenses of Routine Activities theory, none such studies have been dedicated to the study of residential armed robbery in Ghana. This study, therefore, attempts to fill that void by applying Routine Activities theory to the study of residential armed robbery. This research samples 56 of armed robbers in three selected prisons of contemporary Ghana to provide a fuller criminological and descriptive analysis of the offence, the offenders, motivation and guardianship to committing residential …


Coping And Adjustment Of Spouses Of International Students At South Dakota State University, Elizabeth Nayebare Jan 2016

Coping And Adjustment Of Spouses Of International Students At South Dakota State University, Elizabeth Nayebare

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated acculturation of female spouses of international students to life in Brookings, specifically, how they cope and adjust. It was guided by the following questions: what are the socio-economic and cultural attributes of female spouses, and how do they impact their ability to cope and adjust to life in Brookings; what strategies and activities do spouses of international students rely on or develop in order to adjust and cope with life in the United States (Brookings); and what are the processes and experiences of coping and adjustment among spouses of different professional and cultural backgrounds? The investigation was …