Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Experiences Of Dyslexic Students Learning A Second Language: A Review Of The Literature, Lauren Ricci

Senior Honors Theses

A systematic review of the literature was conducted to explore the experiences that college students with dyslexia face learning a second language in the classroom setting while studying at a private institution in Central Virginia. This literature review offers an analysis of the scholarly research related to this topic. The processability theory is discussed in the first section, followed by a review of recent literature on how dyslexia affects the brain’s processing, specific experiences of students, and how to best support these students in second language acquisition (SLA). Lastly, the literature surrounds phonological processing, working memory, specific struggles in the …

The Impact Of Federalism On Immigration: A Reconstruction Of The System To Alleviate The Immigration Crisis In America, Theresa Lam

Senior Honors Theses

Illegal immigration is a complex and relevant issue in the United States. In particular, its long-term implications for American communities has elevated its significance. Within America’s federalist system, the immigration dilemma has raised tension among federal, state, and local governments, which have different perspectives on how to approach the matter. The federal government is responsible for enforcing immigration laws but delegates numerous immigration responsibilities to state and local law enforcement. However, the degree to which local officials should cooperate with federal authorities is the subject of intense debate. Should immigration enforcement be a federal or local responsibility? Under federalism and …

A Red Awakening: An Analysis Of China’S Quest For Global Dominance Through Economic Alternative Warfare Methods, Sarah Beddingfield

Senior Honors Theses

In the 2023 annual meeting of China’s parliament, Chinese President Xi made it clear to his political leaders and the world that he was preparing for war. This should come as no surprise after analysis of China's grand strategy points clearly to the intent to surpass the U.S. as the premier global superpower in all respects. China has been building towards this goal for years through untraditional methods of warfare, forcing the national security community to reevaluate its own strategy and assess the Chinese threat through a different lens. This thesis seeks to address one specific area in which China …

The Evolving Crime Of Sex Trafficking, Madison Krause

Senior Honors Theses

Human trafficking is a global crime that occurs in all countries regardless of status or rank. It victimizes both genders and all age groups. The two most common types of human trafficking are for the purposes of forced labor and commercialized sexual exploitation. The demand for commercialized sexual exploitation has increased throughout the United States. Technology and social media have enhanced and made the ability to commit sex trafficking easier and more efficient. The ties between pornography and sexual exploitation have also had an impact on sex trafficking recruiting and grooming.

The Alexander Technique Applied To Dance And The Choreographic Process: Freeing Physical Expression From Trauma-Based Tension, Julia Johnston

Senior Honors Theses

Ballet, contemporary, and modern dancers have expressed incurring trauma during their training and professional dance experiences; in a 2020 survey, 41% of professional dancers and 30% of ballet students reported experiencing or witnessing sexually inappropriate behavior in their respective workplaces and schools (DDP). This is just one example of a potential source of trauma for dancers. The physiological effects of trauma cause physical effects, creating tension in a dancer’s body. Dance relies on physical expression, the expression of thought and feeling through movement, to connect with the audience. Trauma-based tension inhibits a dancer’s range of physical expression and connection to …

Charge The Cockpit Or Die: An Anatomy Of Fear-Driven Political Rhetoric In American Conservatism, Daniel Hostetter

Senior Honors Theses

Subthreshold negative emotions have superseded conscious reason as the initial and strongest motivators of political behavior. Political neuroscience uses the concepts of negativity bias and terror management theory to explore why fear-driven rhetoric plays such an outsized role in determining human political actions. These mechanisms of human anthropology are explored by competing explanations from biblical and evolutionary scholars who attempt to understand their contribution to human vulnerabilities to fear. When these mechanisms are observed in fear-driven political rhetoric, three common characteristics emerge: exaggerated threat, tribal combat, and religious apocalypse, which provide a new framework for explaining how modern populist leaders …

Can Time Really Heal: The Long-Term Impacts Of Joint Custody Arrangements, Savannah Mccullough

Senior Honors Theses

Due to a growing diversity of family structures, children grow up in a variety of living arrangements, especially if their parents are separated or divorced. The most common solution for these divorced families is joint custody or dual-residence arrangements, where children spend up to 50% of their time in each parent's household. The current literature on the effects of joint custody arrangements shows mixed results for children's overall adjustment and well-being, which seem to depend more on moderating factors like the child's age, exposure to interparental conflict, and parent-child relationship quality. This thesis reviews the existing literature on the advantages …

Autism And The Body Of Christ: Understanding, Accommodating, And Accepting Autistic Believers In The Church, Kaitlyn Cook

Senior Honors Theses

Autism is a neurotype that causes a different set of strengths and weaknesses and thus should be embraced and accommodated within the church. Not only are autistic believers able to grasp Christian concepts, but they also have different perspectives and skills that can be instrumental in building up the church. Promoting a correct view of autism and accommodating neurodiversity within the church will allow autistic believers to follow God’s command to be part of a body and build up the church. The church can employ several strategies to create an accessible environment for believers on the spectrum, including creating sensory-safe …

Transgenderism And Pronouns: Assessing The Communication Practices Of Christian College Students, Danielle Malanowski

Senior Honors Theses

The issue of transgenderism has been part of prominent public and academic discussions in recent years, and ought to be addressed by communication scholars. One area of communication research that is missing from the current body of literature is the use of preferred pronoun usage among religious groups, particularly Christians. This study offers insight into this issue through a qualitative survey of the perspectives of Generation Z college students attending a Christian university. This survey was then analyzed via thematic coding through the lens of Communication Accommodation Theory. Results indicate these students have varying approaches to communicating with and about …

A Study Of Mental Health Conditions Among Elite Level Athletes, Sawyer Magnett

Senior Honors Theses

This paper examines the effects of stigmatization on elite level athletes’ mental health and overall wellbeing. Within this study, elite level athletes will be defined as those that participate in collegiate programs and the levels beyond that. Stigma is generally defined as negative beliefs towards a particular group of people or a state of being. When stigma is prevalent within athletic settings, many athletes tend to be silent about the struggles they face daily. Stigma is manifested either publicly or personally in the arena of elite level athletics due to preconceived notions within this demographic. Through close examination of current …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Cross-Cultural Transitions Of University-Level Missionary Kids, Naomi Walter

Senior Honors Theses

The cultural identity and transitions of a Third Culture Kid (TCK) is often a matter of discussion and debate. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the factors that influence the identity and the cross-cultural transitions of university-level TCKs, with a specific focus on Missionary Kids (MKs). The study involved semi-structured interviews of seven undergraduate university students, over the age of 18 and currently involved in the university's Missionary Kid Scholarship program. Results revealed several key themes including identity, community, and friendship expectations that influenced the transition process. Participants generally displayed a positive transition, and the findings provide …

Counseling And Mental Health Stigma Among College Students: An Examination Of Gender, Mattie Albright

Senior Honors Theses

Male perceptions of masculinity are commonly studied in the psychological world as inhibitors to seeking mental health help or counseling. This research proposal addresses the roles of gender-role conflict and self-stigma of help-seeking in how they predict the male tendency to seek help at lower rates than females. The sample being analyzed in this study will consist of male and female students in the psychology department at Liberty University. Participants will complete the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOH), the Gender-Role Conflict Scale I (GRCS-I), and the Attitude Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (ATSPPHS). Results will explore which factor …

Unmasking The Holder Of The Purse Strings: Countering Chinese Economic Coercion In The Indo-Pacific, Rachel L. Davis

Senior Honors Theses

The Indo-Pacific is a key focal point of U.S.-China competition due to its geographical, economic, and military significance. China is using political warfare to achieve its strategic goals in the region, influencing other nations to align with its interests. Economic coercion is a key tool of this warfare. This is evident in the Pacific Islands, among America’s treaty allies, in Southeast Asia, and in South Asia. To prove itself the superior partner, maintain access to key points of land, and keep the Indo-Pacific open for trade, the U.S. must counter China’s activities. This can be achieved via a stronger economic …

The Practice Of Silence And Solitude And Its Results, Lizzie Suwala

Senior Honors Theses

Silence and solitude as a spiritual discipline is seen across many different worldviews including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Humanism, and can be exercised alongside disciplines like prayer, meditation, and mindfulness. Each worldview has a unique purpose in why silence and solitude is practiced such as to commune with God, to prepare one’s heart for times of prayer, to avoid suffering, to experience revelations, and to find peace in an anxious world. Loneliness stems from unmet expectations of social interactions that lead to aversion in one’s current relationships and within themselves. Understanding the purpose of silence and solitude leads to the …

Christian Code Of Silence: The Church’S Current Response To Clergy Sexual Misconduct And Potential Improvements Utilizing Principles Of Restorative Justice, Skya Lau

Senior Honors Theses

The prevalent and pervasive issue of clergy sexual misconduct within the Christian church has been perpetuated under a code of silence through the use of perverted Scripture to support its tactics. By departing from biblically aligned principles, and silencing the victims and protecting the offenders, the church’s current response has detrimental effects, calling into question the moral standing of the church. However, by practically implementing the principles of community, accountability, and forgiveness found in restorative justice and interpreting them through a biblical lens, the church can begin to improve their response. In dismantling the code of silence, the church can …

Conflict In The Congo: A Critical Assessment Of Section 1502 Of The Dodd-Frank Act, Rodney Ford

Senior Honors Theses

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the poorest and most troubled nations in the world. With a convoluted and often tragic history, a significant cause of economic underdevelopment and political instability in the Congo has been the illicit expropriation of the country’s vast reserves of high-value minerals. In the early 2010s, Congress attempted to address the “conflict minerals” dilemma through the enactment of Section 1502 of the Dodd Frank Act. The conflict minerals rule aimed to break the supposed link between the illegal exploitation of minerals and the perpetuation of violence. Drawing upon books, journal articles, research …

Mindfulness And Teacher Stress, Burnout, And Depression Among K-12 Teachers, Macy Woods

Senior Honors Theses

Across school districts, teachers face high stress levels, inhibiting their ability to engage effectively with and teach students. Teachers can learn and utilize effective strategies to offset the difficulties of the profession. School districts often encourage and provide stress-reduction training for teachers; a new stress-reduction technique is known as mindfulness. Mindfulness is a cognitive skill that encourages internal and external awareness of emotions, feelings, and surroundings; it presents to be a beneficial strategy for increasing well-being in many professions. The present study, conducted among K-12 teachers in East Tennessee, will investigate the relationship between teacher mindfulness and each factor of …

The Jonestown Appeal: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Jim Jones’ “The Death Tapes”, Lindsey E. Wright

Senior Honors Theses

Through the view of the Aristotelian analysis, this research identified how Jim Jones utilized rhetoric to persuade a large group of people. Pre-existing literature in the fields of psychology and communication have closely studied Jones’ manipulation tactics in both his speeches and interactions with his audiences. In addition to his persuasive tone, this study explored and evaluated the appeals of logos, pathos, and ethos tailored in Jim Jones’ final speech, Q042, now commonly coined, “The Death Tapes.” The methodology employed in this study meticulously examined the artifact by listening exclusively through the tapes for each appeal and the impacts of …

The Influence Of Texting On Perceived Warmth: The Role Of Punctuation And Emoji, Elizabeth Mathews

Senior Honors Theses

Technology Mediated Communication (TMC) has become an essential part of interpersonal communication. Punctuation and emoji are major vessels of nonverbal communication in texting. The impact of punctuation and emoji use on perceptions of warmth was tested with 291 residential undergraduate students at Liberty University who were at least 18 years old. Through an online questionnaire, participants read a series of text messages with a randomly assigned condition of having either punctuation and emoji, punctuation and no emoji, no punctuation and emoji, or no punctuation and no emoji. Results indicated a significant main effect for the presence of emoji on perceived …

Teaching Students With Adverse Childhood Experiences, Kelsey Bundrick

Senior Honors Theses

Students in every school and at every grade level have had, or continue to have, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which may be considered traumatic. These experiences inevitably interfere with students’ brain development and learning processes. First, it is important that teachers are informed of the effects that these experiences may have on the lives of their students. Awareness of the problem is the first step toward solving any issue. Second, with knowledge of these findings, teachers must find methods to reach these students. All students deserve an equal chance at a quality education. The purpose of this study is to …

Reforming Illinois K-12 Public Education Through A Four-Pronged Approach, Seth Brooks

Senior Honors Theses

Public education in the United States has produced lackluster results in the past decades. Various forms of school choice have emerged in recent years to combat the poor results seen in the public education system, but these private schools are financially unattainable for many Americans. Bureaucratic overload, city corruption, inequities in funding, and frequent teachers’ strikes have certainly contributed to the destitute state of Illinois’ public education. In this thesis, the attainability of fiscal relief for Illinois families who choose alternative education and the necessity of the state in permitting such alternatives is discussed.

Current school choice policies in the …

Understanding Romania's Poverty: A Historical Overview Of Economics And Politics And Their Implications On Poverty Today, Benjamin Bucur

Senior Honors Theses

Romania is a country with a high-income economy that is experiencing considerable growth following its economic reforms of earlier decades. With growth, tendencies for an unequal society are prevalent. Therefore, appropriate economic policies that are specifically targeted toward bottlenecks are essential. This thesis seeks to outline the major types of poverty in Romania while also offering actionable entrepreneurial and educational insights that practically combat poverty at its roots.

The Impact Of Music Therapy On Language Acquisition In Children With Nonverbal Autism, Alecia Bernau

Senior Honors Theses

Through an experimental method, the researcher investigated whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to develop verbal communication skills after consistent exposure to songs with lyrics. Six children with nonverbal ASD were exposed to the same song with lyrics, with the goal of increased vocalization and language acquisition. Over nine sessions, subjects were pulled to participate in the experiment. The researcher played the song for the participants, recording the responses from each trial and categorizing them as either full words, verbal approximations, or miscellaneous verbalizations. The findings of the study suggest that there is a relationship between …

Federal Law Enforcement Reform: Depoliticization Into A Constitutional Framework To Restore Public Confidence, Christopher J. Boosey

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis proposes that there is a lack of public confidence in federal law enforcement agencies and that this is because these agencies have become political weapons, investigating individuals rather than crimes, in violation of the U.S. Constitution. Following multiple scandals, from the historical targeting of the Civil Rights movement to present attempts to designate parents critical of school administrators as domestic terrorists, wholesale reform of these agencies is urgent. Therefore, this thesis will address the issue of politicization, political corruption, and the lack of adherence to constitutional principles through the problem, significance, and solution method. This thesis will first …

The Role Of Story In The Creation And Life Of Man, Leah Ginion

Senior Honors Theses

Story was created by God as a vehicle for the revelation and glorification of Himself. Man, made in the image of God, was created as an innate storyteller. The world was created through story, and story is how it progresses and is sustained. As such, story is the foundation of all culture and the most natural and effective method of human communication. Research points to all of man’s stories being derivatives of the Great Story: the metanarrative of Scripture. Exploring man’s relationship with story reveals his place within the metanarrative and ultimately provides evidence for the existence and active presence …

Heroes, Villains, And Blackouts: A Rhetorical Criticism Of The News Media Narrative Of The 2021 Texas Power Crisis, Alexandra Bones

Senior Honors Theses

The present study sought to determine what social reality news media broadcasts created for their audiences during the 2021 Texas power freeze. The study was conducted through a rhetorical criticism of applying symbolic convergence theory to four communication artifacts from news broadcasts from February 2021. The results of this study indicate three fantasy themes that contributed to the overall rhetorical vision, or social reality, for the audience of the crisis. First, Texas was portrayed as the fallen hero. Second, heroes were identified as active participants in the crisis who represented a large group of people, while villains were identified as …

A Survey Of Captive Wild And Exotic Animal Training Programs In The Eastern United States, Savannah Atchison

Senior Honors Theses

Methods of positive reinforcement as a successful means for animal training are the result of many years of research into operant conditioning and learning. However, current literature is unclear on the extent to which these methods are utilized in captive wild and exotic animal populations in the United States. Through phone interviews with animal trainers employed at zoos and wildlife rehabilitation centers in the eastern United States, the author determined that these facilities are currently utilizing positive reinforcement training methods which are proving to be a great benefit for all parties involved. They are enabling a variety of voluntary health …

Bigger Is Better? Re-Evaluating Nato Enlargement In The Post-Cold War Period, Matthew Mccracken

Senior Honors Theses

Since the end of the Cold War, the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance has grown substantially from its pre-1990 boundary between the two Germanys to encompass 15 new members with its border pressing eastward toward the former Soviet states and up to Russia proper. At the same time, East-West relations have sunk from a high point in the 1990s to a new low unseen since the Cold War culminating in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Top-ranking officials on both sides of the Atlantic cautioned successive U.S. administrations against heedlessly seeking to admit new members into NATO for fear that it …

Cross-Cultural Managerial Behavior – A Comparative Study Between The Republic Of Korea And The United States Of America, Colson Richter

Senior Honors Theses

Among the many trade partners the United States engages with, the Republic of Korea is the nation’s seventh largest trading partner – exchanging over $154.9 Billion in 2020 (USTR, 2021). Despite this strong economic relationship between these two nations, the cultural distance that these societies have is one of the largest within anthropological academia (Hofstede, 2017). This reality creates the need for a solid framework of a management-focused, cultural understanding between these two countries.

In this study, academic literature will be collected and reviewed to lend insight into particular areas of culture that an American and Korean perspective would be …

And The Oscar Goes To... Tiktok, Dawson Bley

Senior Honors Theses

Companies have been forced to take note of the emerging social media app, TikTok, which has attracted more than a billion users to its platform and invited businesses into an uncharted market ready to be exploited. By seeking to understand and employ the unique features which have led to TikTok’s far-reaching success, many companies can similarly improve their position. In particular, traditional movie companies, which have recently suffered blows at the box office due to factors such as competition with online streaming, could benefit from an analysis of this tech to restore lost engagement and revenue. Specifically, how can the …