Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Behavioral Differences Among Varyingly-Disturbed Populations Of Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus Giganteus) In New South Wales, Australia, Francesca A. Iacobucci

Theses and Dissertations

Despite their iconic status, kangaroo spp. are often treated as pests in Australia due to perceived abundance and extensive grazing behaviors. With growing suburbanization, animals such as kangaroo spp., are forced to inhabit human-dominated areas. Little research has been done examining how different aspects of human-induced disturbance can varyingly affect the behavior of wild animals. Specifically, this study examined how varyingly-disturbed areas affect behaviors such as vigilance, foraging, joey emergence during the in/out stage of pouch emergence, and play in three eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) populations. Results suggest that acute environmental disturbances (e.g., dogs barking or …

Tools For Thought: Artifacts From The History Of Comparative Psychology, Dylan Kerr

Theses and Dissertations

This project explores the history of comparative psychology through close readings of apparatuses used in seminal experiments on animal behavior, drawing connections between seemingly disparate areas of human culture—including art, architecture, mythology, and economics—and the development of the science, with a particular focus on behaviorist and cognitive approaches.

The Relation Between Hyperlipidemia, Hypertension, And Downstream Cognitive And Neuroanatomical Function, Victor James Wasserman

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Cardiovascular risks (CVR) such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia play a critical role in the emergence of dementia syndromes. Medication to treat CVR may not obviate downstream risk for cognitive change.

Methods: To examine the relation between history of treatment with medications to treat CVR and cognitive outcomes, participants were seen at time points ~7 years apart, completed neuropsychological evaluations, assessed for history of treatment with medication associated with hypertension and hyperlipidemia as indicators of CVR, and classified into 3 groups: Not Treated, Inconsistently Treated, and Consistently Treated. Regression models associating neuropsychological outcome measures of cognition and CVR were explored …

Pretrial Release Policy Portfolios: Examining Changes Over Time In States With Low Policy Activity, Madison Kristine Doyle

Theses and Dissertations

Changes in the policy process is one of the lesser explored phenomena within the field of criminal justice. A basis of knowledge about changes in various criminal justice policy processes in the U.S., could benefit scholars and practitioners alike. This thesis explores changes in content of pretrial release policy (PRP) portfolios in states with the least policy activity both within and across states over time. A thematic content analysis of PRPs from eight U.S. states (Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Maine, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming) revealed how PRPs have changed in those states over time. States that had fewer …

Evidence Of Incipient Song Divergence In A Hawaiian Population Of Warbling White-Eyes, Jesse D. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Natural or human-mediated founder events can lead to changes in avian communication signals, potentially impacting the trajectory of evolution. Warbling white-eye (Zosterops japonicus) was introduced from Japan to the Hawaiian Islands between 1929 – ca. 1937. I recorded primary songs in Hawai‘i (O‘ahu, Big Island) and collected archival recordings, then conducted a comparative analysis between introduced and native song types which revealed significant differences in the O‘ahu and Big Island populations. To test for behavioral responses that corresponded to these differences, I presented conspecific playback stimuli (intra-island, inter-island, native) to individuals in Hawai‘i (O‘ahu, Big Island). Big Island individuals increased …

A Study Of Fremont Snake Valley Black-On-Gray Ceramics From Sites In Northern Utah And The Parowan Valley, Stephanie K.Y. Abo

Theses and Dissertations

Archaeologists widely argue that Fremont potters from the Parowan Valley, in southwestern Utah, manufactured Snake Valley pottery. For my thesis, I examined Snake Valley Black-on-gray rim sherds using neutron activation analysis, oxidation analysis, metric data, and statistical methods. I compared my results on Snake Valley Black-on-gray sherds from three archaeological sites within the Parowan Valley (Paragonah, Parowan, and Evans Mound) to my results on Snake Valley Black-on-gray sherds recovered from three archaeological sites over 250 kilometers to the north (South Temple, Block 49, and Wolf Village). I argue that the Snake Valley Black-on-gray ceramics from the northern sites are tradewares …

Examining Psychotherapeutic Treatment Approach Preference In A Hispanic Population, Andrea Mayra Vieira Debarros

Theses and Dissertations

Minority groups are at a disadvantage when seeking psychological treatment. Interventions are often less effective for minority populations when treatment outcomes are compared to Anglo populations. Studies indicate that the stigma associated with mental health disorders and seeking psychological intervention within these minority subgroups may be at fault for this disparity. In this study, we explored this idea by examining what methods of intervention Hispanic-identified individuals are more likely to seek out. Participants were given the option to enlist in a biofeedback approach to intervention as well as a supportive talk psychotherapy. Participants were drawn from the community population in …

Roli I Faktorit Ndërkombëtar Në Krizen Jugosllave 1991-1998, Gazmir Gashi

Theses and Dissertations

Roli i faktorit ndërkombëtar në krizen Jugosllave 1991-1998

Qëllimi i këtij hulumtimi është analizimi i ngjarjeve historike dhe identifikimi i faktorëve që çuan drejt shpërbërjes së Jugosllavisë, ndikimi i politikave të tyre të ndërmarra nga organizatat ndërkombëtare për zgjidhjen e çështjes së Kosovës, ndërhyrja dhe vendosja e misioneve dhe operacioneve ndërkombëtare në Kosovë për ruajtjen dhe konsolidimin e paqes në shtetin e ri, me qasje në forcimin e mbrojtjes dhe të sigurisë kombëtare e rajonale.

Ndër konferencat që kemi cekur në theks të vecantë janë: Koferenca e Hgës, e Londres, e Dajtonit dhe e Rambujesë. Referencave apo citimeve iu kemi …

Fuqia E Ndikimit Të Medias Si Pushtet I Katërt Në Kosovë, Qendresa Ibrahimi

Theses and Dissertations

Kjo temë “Fuqia e ndikimit të medias si pushtet i katërt në Kosovë” shqyrton efektin e medias në historinë e Kosovës. Fillimisht analizon literaturën mbi e efektin e medias në opinionin publik, dhe rëndësinë e saj në zhvillimin shtetëror, tutje duke analizuar historinë e Kosovës, zhvillimin e mediave lokale si dhe vëmendjen e mediave ndërkombëtare. Kjo temë zhvillon paralelisht historinë e Kosovën dhe gjendjen e mediave në ato periudha deri në intervenimin ndërkombëtar.

Tema analizon variablën e pavarur fuqinë e medias dhe variablën e varur në rastin tonë zgjidhja e konfliktit. Ky hulumtim teston teorinë të efektit CNN duke u …

“Cenimi I Privatësisë Përmes Rrjeteve Sociale: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Në Kosovë”, Agnesa Halili

Theses and Dissertations

Me zhvillimin e hovshëm të teknologjisë, mënyra se si i mbrojmë të dhënat tona apo privatësinë është vështirësuar. Shqetësimet lidhur me privatësinë në hapësirën kibernetike filluan të bëheshin çështje e debatit ndërkombëtar në fillim të viteve 2000. Ky shqetësim është ngritur së fundmi edhe në Kosove, ku vërehet një rritje e numrit të personave të cilët janë ankuar pranë autoriteteve përkatëse. Teknologjia tanimë në një formë ose tjetrën e “kontrollon” një pjesë të madhe të jetës tonë, madje sjell edhe probleme të mëdha. Për këtë arsye ky punim synon të trajtojë cenimin e privatësisë përmes rrjeteve sociale: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram …

The Vowels Of Urban Qatari Arabic, Mark Daniel Shockley

Theses and Dissertations

Urban Qatari Arabic is a variety of Gulf Arabic [afb] spoken by Qataris with traditionally sedentary tribal backgrounds. This study examines phonetic and phonological aspects of Urban Qatari Arabic vowels using acoustic phonetic data gathered in Qatar. A new phonemic vowel inventory is proposed, including five long vowels and two short vowels. This finding contradicts published studies on Gulf Arabic, which include three or more short vowels; however, it is not unexpected when studies are compared from nearby Arabic varieties. The vowel inventory is also investigated using four linear mixed-effects regression models. In Gulf Arabic, variation in short vowel backness …

The Phonology Of Mbati, Sarah Gloria Lepage

Theses and Dissertations

This description of the phonology of Mbati/Isongo (C13) (mdn) of CAR is based on a word-list recorded by native Mbati speakers. A description of nominal and verbal morphology is included as a foundation for discussing morphophonemic processes. Only open syllables and consonant-glide clusters are allowed. Alveolar and velar plosives are affricated or palatalized before the high front vowel. Prenasalized consonants act as phonological units, rather than clusters. Mid-vowels within noun roots harmonize according to the feature [ATR]. [−ATR]-dominated vowel assimilation occurs within verb stems. Vowel hiatus is resolved by glide formation, diphthong formation, elision, and epenthesis, depending on the vowels …

A Systematic Quantitative Review Of Effective Implementation Of Self-Monitoring (1983-2020), Mary Louise Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

A systematic quantitative review was conducted to analyze articles using self-monitoring in the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management (JOBM) from 1983 to present. Specifically, the diversity of characteristics used when implementing a self-monitoring procedure were examined along with the effects produced in order to determine the most effective components of a self-monitoring intervention. Results indicate a combination of other interventions are used substantially more compared to self-monitoring as a sole intervention. Moreover, results from this particular sample of studies demonstrated that a combination of variables led to more consistent effects than when self-monitoring was applied as a sole intervention. However, …

Governance And Sustainable Development Goals (Sdgs): Exploring The Relatinship Between Governance And Sdgs Using An International Comparative Perspective, Apu Deb

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between governance and sustainable development goals from an international comparative perspective. The research question of the study was: Does the performance level of governance affect the achievement of SD specifically in terms of reducing poverty, gender inequality, and human inequalities? This study has used the convenient sampling method to select 16 countries based on their income level and secondary data collected from the UNDP, World Bank for statistical analysis. We did the Hausman test to decide whether used fixed effects or random effects and found the Hausman test was significant …

Attitudes Of Criminal Justice Students' Towards Women: Hegemonic Masculinity In The Workplace, Lauren Escovedo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the following study is to examine positive, benevolent, and hostile attitudes towards women in the workplace held by criminal justice students enrolled at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. As well, to examine whether or not criminal justice students enrolled at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley believe that criminal justice personnel create a gender-neutral classroom environment. The application Qualtrics XM was used to comprise a 35 question survey that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, was administered online to students for a two week period during the Fall 2020 semester. Criminal justice students …

Examining The Indoctrination Of Mexican American Criminal Justice Students, Noe Leal Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Mexican American Criminal Justice students (MACJS) sometimes select a career in Department of Homeland Security, which has a history of systemic racism and oppression. The purpose of this thesis is to examine MACJS conformity to U.S. ideological hegemony and examine the differences in their understanding of human rights/ethics. A questionnaire was administered to MACJS (n = 156) wishing to pursue a career in DHS. The survey instrument used is based on the concepts of Social Identification: Mexican versus U.S. American; Support for Nationalist Racist Policies, Internal Colonialism, Followership by engaging in policies/orders by the government; and Human Rights: Knowledge of …

Displacement: An Analysis Of Foreign Aid And Its Effects On Migration Patterns In Latin America, Edgar Abraham Navejar

Theses and Dissertations

To influence a country’s behavior, aid has been used to push for specific changes, whether it be to increase security in a country or to sponsor social programs. Using neoclassical realism, this paper will analyze if US aid influences migration patterns, specifically, if U.S. foreign policy through aid creates conditions that encourage or discourage migration of people to the United States. This paper will analyze between the years 1980- 2017 to see if the Cold War played a part or if the post- Cold War international arena pivoted the United States to focus on migration patterns in Latin America.

When It Comes To Money In Elections, It Doesn't Matter Which Paris You Live In, Jacqueline J. Arias

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I argue how money influences election outcomes in the Texas Legislature from 2010 to 2018. I explore the political history of Texas, where scholars have long alluded to the role of wealthy elites in the political process. Using an investment theory approach, where money is considered a powerful determinant in elections over other factors, this thesis will analyze total disbursements and vote totals of Texas senate and house candidates in a linear model. Along with this bivariate correlation, this thesis will conduct a multilevel analysis that includes partisanship and regions in Texas. This thesis found a strong …

The Mediating Role Of Emotion Dysregulation In The Association Between Intimate Partner Victimization Types And Symptoms Of Depression In Young Hispanic Women, Maria Gabriela Copeiro De Lestarpe

Theses and Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is defined as the abuse or aggression that occurs in a close relationship. Statistics show that the most prevalent types of IPV are psychological, physical, and sexual. In the U.S. 1 in 4 women (24.4%, or 29.2 million) are victims of IPV before the age of 25. Minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged women are most likely to experience it. Depression, among others, is one of the harmful consequences resulting from IPV victimization. The present study focuses on the role of emotion dysregulation in the association between IPV and depression. It was hypothesized that emotion dysregulation mediates the …

Cyber Intimate Partner Victimization And Its Association With Depression And Alcohol Use Among Hispanic Emerging Adults: Identifying Protective Factors, Jorge I. Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

The advent of modern technology has inadvertently created newer avenues for intimate partner victimization (IPV) to transpire. This study investigated whether among Hispanic emerging adults psychological, sexual, and stalking intimate partner cybervictimization (cyber IPV) types were uniquely associated with depression and alcohol use; whether there were additive effects of cyber IPV types on depression and alcohol use; and to test whether cognitive reappraisal, self-compassion, and flourishing served as protective factors by moderating the unique effect of each cyber IPV type and the effect of cyber IPV multi-victimization on depression and alcohol use.

Participants were 1,129 Hispanic emerging adults in the …

Underlying Principles Of U.S. Media Coverage: A Case Study Of Venezuela’S Political Crisis From January-July 2019, Solange Nirere

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the U.S. mainstream media’s coverage of Venezuela’s political crisis from January to July of 2019. By deciding not only the issues presented, but their tone and stance, the media actively sets policy agendas and influences public opinion. The propaganda model (PM) provides a predictive framework for understanding media behavior and how “filters” determine published content. Using a media content analysis of 270 articles on the Venezuelan crisis in the NYT and WSJ, I found strong evidence for the PM viz a heavy reliance on U.S. government sources, strong U.S. foreign policy support, and an absence of alternate …

Identifying, Increasing Awareness, And Supporting Military-Connected Adolescents In Public Schools, Amanda Bushman

Theses and Dissertations

Of the nearly 1,000,000 children of active duty members of the military, around 80% attend civilian schools not affiliated with the Department of Defense Education Activity ([DoDEA] DoDEA, 2018; Department of Defense [DoD], 2018). This creates a need for schools to be aware of the challenges that military-connected (MC) students face and understand how best to support them. Recent research indicates that the prevalence of mental health problems in MC youth populations has been rising since the war on terrorism began (De Pedro et al., 2011). MC youth experience an array of internalizing and externalizing problems, including stress disorders (Gorman …

Evaluating A Graduated Exposure Treatment To Teach Mask Tolerance Among Children With Autism, Hallie Marie Ertel

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone 2 years and older wear a mask while out in a community setting (CDC, 2020a). It is important for children to learn how to tolerate wearing a mask for long durations of time while out in the community. In the current study, which was comprised of 2 experiments, we implemented a graduated exposure procedure to teach mask wearing to 6 children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The purpose of experiment 1 was to evaluate the efficacy of a graduated exposure procedure to teach mask tolerance …

Feedback And Social Comparison: The Effects Of Comparing One’S Performance To The Group, Ryan Joseph Walz

Theses and Dissertations

Although feedback has been shown to improve performance, few studies have examined the effect of feedback containing information on peer performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of feedback on individual performance and feedback containing information on peer performance. Three participants were exposed to a no-feedback baseline condition, a standard individual feedback condition, and an individual feedback condition with information on the group’s average performance. The dependent variable was the rate of correct responses on a computer-based simulated work task. Withdrawal designs were used to evaluate the effect of the two types of feedback on performance. …

Mathematics That Clarify Slope & Scale, Help Set Standards, And Improve Interrater Agreement On Time-Series Graphs, Chad Erick Liming Kinney

Theses and Dissertations

This paper introduces new mathematic equations that clarify slope and scale and help overcome difficulties with visually interpreting slopes (or trends)--a significant culprit of poor interrater agreement (IRA) of graphed data. Three experiments tested applications of the equations and demonstrated the following results: (a) Graphic Variability Quotient (GVQ) manipulation strongly predicts viewer ratings (and accuracy) of behavior change, β = .895, R2 = .801, (b) mathematical standards that control the inherent variability in non-standard graphs can be empirically based (to facilitate reliable visual comparison), and (c) visual aids posted on graphs, such as angles of inclination and a simple slope …

Analysis Of Sex Offender Subgroups Using The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory- Second Edition- Restructured Form (Mmpi-2-Rf), Isabella Campanini

Theses and Dissertations

The current study aimed to expand the existing literature on sex offenders with regards to personality and psychological dysfunction, by comparing specific subgroups of sex offenders using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory- Second Edition- Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). Archival data from a sample of N = 244 adult male sex offenders was grouped based on four characteristic variables: offense type (contact vs. noncontact), relationship to the victim (familial vs. nonfamilial), victim age (younger vs. older), and the presence or absence of a personality disorder diagnosis or features. MANOVA and ANOVA results demonstrated that contact offenders scored significantly higher than noncontact offenders …

Stress, Burnout, And Experiential Avoidance In Clinical Psychology Doctoral Students, Katie Marie Connor

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that clinical psychology doctoral students experience stress and burnout, with attempts to moderate their experience utilizing various coping skills. The current study aimed to expand the literature on stress and burnout in clinical psychology doctoral students and the impact of experiential avoidance as a coping style. The current study surveyed clinical psychology doctoral students on their integration of experiential avoidance, as well as various coping styles, to mitigate stress and burnout. COVID-19 data and descriptive statistics were gathered as well. A correlational analysis and dependent sample t-test were conducted to understand the relationships between variables. The results …

Biracial And Bicultural Identity Formation: Lessons Garnered From Sense Of Belonging And Code-Switching In Fostering Optimal Psychological Wellbeing And Mental Health, Kimberly Foley

Theses and Dissertations

In an era of systemized racial discrimination, the U.S.A. is in search of resolution to ameliorate the chronic racial divide, which has led to the declaration of racism being a public physical and mental health issue. The national epidemic of racism has given way to cultural health disparities for People of Color (POCs) that require our urgent attention as a nation, which are attributed to racial trauma that compromises POCs physical and psychological wellbeing. The belief that the answer to resolve the racial health crisis and racial divide may lie in the achievement of a healthy and developed biracial/bicultural identity. …

1, 2, Or 3 In A Hat? How A Human-Agent Team’S Composition Affects Trust And Cooperation, Dan Manh Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Modern advances in technology have enabled a collaborative relationship between man and machine. Many industries have adopted these human-agent teams, yet human perceptions about technology may prevent them from adopting a teammate mentality when interacting with agents. Although many studies have researched the issue, few have studied how the human to agent ratio within a team influences how the person intends to interact with their agent team members. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior (Azjen, 1985), this study elucidates how a team’s composition affects the trust of human team members in human-agent teams and their subsequent intentions to work …

Disparity And Applicant Faking Behaviors: How Comparison With The Ideal Applicant Affects Faking?, Yadi Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Applicant faking behavior (AFB) on personality measures remains a major concern in selection context. This study introduces a new construct of “disparity” which captures the difference between individuals’ self-evaluation personality score and the perceived ideal applicants’ personality score. Based on the Perceptual Control Theory (PTC), applicant will generate intention to fake in order to close the perceptional gap between an ideal applicant and themselves to increase their chances of getting hired. The study distinguishes intention to fake and actual faking behaviors as two separate constructs. Specifically, the study empirically examined the effect of disparity on applicant faking behaviors through intention …