Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Gangs On Community Life In Trinidad, Ericka Adams, Patrice Morris, Edward Maguire

Faculty Publications

Trinidad and Tobago has more than 100 criminal gangs, some of which engage in high levels of homicide and violence. Recent research has shown that gang members in Trinidad and Tobago are more likely than nongang members to be arrested for violent, property, and drug crimes. As gangs continue to proliferate throughout the Caribbean, there is a pressing need to understand the nature of these gangs and their impact on the communities in which they are entrenched. Using data from interviews with community members, police officials, and gang members, as well as ethnographic observations from 10 high crime, predominantly Black …

Comparing Reunified And Residential Care Facility Children's Wellbeing In Ghana: The Role Of Hope, Spencer L. James, Jini L. Roby

Faculty Publications

The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) stipulates children are entitled to “a family environment…of happiness, love and understanding”. Recent work on deinstitutionalization of children from residential care has found important child wellbeing differences, particularly around hope. Using data from Ghana—a country that has initiated reintegration of children from residential care facilities, therefore providing a natural opportunity for comparative research—we used hope, whether the child has been reunified with family/caregivers or remained in the care facility, and a statistical interaction of the two, along with controls, to predict the Child Status Index, an internationally-established measure of child …

Supporting Open Information Literacy Via Hybridised Design Experiments, Kristen Rebmann

Faculty Publications

This report discusses a project that forms connections between design experiment and informed learning approaches to designing learning activities supportive of open information literacy and scholarly communication among library and information science graduate students. Open information literacy is defined as information literacy relating specifically toward leveraging open access and open educational resources. Focus is placed on implications for research and practice by exploring one example of a hybridised, informed learning design experiment that fused subject content and open information practice. This project report represents an early step in thinking about the possibilities of infusing informed learning research structures and strategies …

Superior Memory: An Example Of The Benefits Of Examining Individual Differences In Cognitive Psychology, Lawrence Patihis

Faculty Publications

Comments on an article by Robert Logie (see record 2018-64362-002). Author agrees with Logie that there is potentially much to be gained now from cognitive psychology research that investigates individual differences. Author would add the caveat, and Logie alludes to this too, that the traditional approach of comparing experimental conditions has been more productive than any other and has led to useful general theories (and descriptions of cognitive phenomena) in the areas of perception, attention, memory, and reasoning. Research with experimental-condition comparisons utilizing random assignment has revolutionized psychology and brought a well-rounded understanding of the mind that far surpassed …

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Sexual Minority Youth: An Etiological And Treatment Overview, Lauren C. Smithee, Brock W. Sumner, Roy A. Bean

Faculty Publications

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among sexual minority youth (SMY) is a problem that is growing in attention yet is understudied and requires an informed response from therapists who engage in clinical work with youth. This paper proposes a unique model of treatment for working with SMY who engage in NSSI, accounting for proximal, distal, and systemic factors that influence the etiology of NSSI. This model is based on a review of two bodies of clinical literature: (a) treating adolescent NSSI and (b) working with SMY and their families. As an etiological theory of self-harm, Nock (2009) is applied to SMY, factoring …

The Pornography Debate: Religiosity And Support For Censorship, Brian A. Droubay, Robert P. Butters, Kevin Shafer

Faculty Publications

Pornography has become an increasingly salient topic in public discourse. We sought to better understand the role of religiosity in shaping people’s support of policy stances against pornography, in the form of censorship, using nationally representative data from the 2014 General Social Survey (n = 1676). Results from logistic regression indicate that high religiosity significantly increases odds of supporting censorship. Holding control variables at their sample means, the least religious persons had a predicted probability of 0.09 of supporting censorship, compared to 0.57 for the most religious respondents. We discuss these findings within the context of the current public …

The Hidden History Of 'Oklahoma!', Daniel Pollack-Pelzner

Faculty Publications

Daniel Pollack-Pelzner explains that contemporary reinterpretations of the classic American musical Oklahoma! may be getting back to its root: it's based on a play by a gay Cherokee man.

Leadership And Innovation Within A Complex Adaptive System: Public Libraries, Darin S. Freeburg

Faculty Publications

Viewing public libraries as Complex Adaptive Systems, the current study analyzed leadership within these systems in terms of complexity and innovation. This included a leader’s capacity for ambiguity and emergence, features of leadership in different contexts, and perceptions of success and innovation. From a list of current public library directors and managers, 15 participants completed a 30-minute phone interview that followed a semi-structured guide. By analyzing the intersection of complexity of approach with complexity of context, eight leadership approaches were uncovered through coding. Results suggest that most participants engaged with most of the leadership approaches at some point. In addition, …

Language Counts: Early Language Mediates The Relationship Between Parent Education And Children's Math Ability, Emily Slusser, Andrew Ribner, Anna Shusterman

Faculty Publications

Children's early math skills have been hailed as a powerful predictor of academic success. Disparities in socioeconomic context, however, also have dramatic consequences on children's learning. It is therefore critical to investigate both of these distinct contributors in order to better understand the early foundations of children's academic outcomes. This study tests an integrated model of children's developing math ability so as to (1) identify the specific skills and abilities most clearly linked to early math achievement and (2) measure the influence of children's socioeconomic context on each of these skills. We first evaluated the early vocabulary, number word knowledge …

Experiences Of Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth In The United States: A Qualitative Systematic Review, Michelle Hampton, Michelle Lieggi

Faculty Publications

Background: Youth at highest risk for commercial sexual exploitation in the United States (US) are runaway, homeless, and transgender youth. Despite the availability of research evidence pertaining to this phenomenon, there is a lack of research synthesis to enable easy access and use by health professionals and others who serve this population. This review’s purpose was to aggregate the qualitative evidence regarding commercially sexually exploited youth (CSEY) in the US to inform the development of appropriate interventions and response systems. Methods: The search included published and unpublished qualitative studies with current or former CSEY who resided in the US. Results: …

The Black Panther Effect: Movie Ups Aggie Swag, Kim Smith

Faculty Publications

Courtney Turner received an honorable mention at the undergraduate academic poster competition sponsored by the Black Doctoral Network, which held its national conference on October 25-27, 2018 in Charlotte, N.C. The poster, “The Black Panther Effect: Movie Ups Aggie Swag,” summarized survey results from a pilot study of nearly 260 N.C. A&T students about their reaction to the movie. It was the first time in the history of the Journalism and Mass Communication Department that a student has placed in a national undergraduate research poster competition. I was Courtney's mentor.

Mapping Soil Alkalinity And Salinity In Northern Songnen Plain, China With The Hj-1 Hyperspectral Imager Data And Partial Least Squares Regression, Lin Bai, Cuizhen Wang, Shuying Zang, Changshan Wu, Jinming Luo, Yuexiang Wu

Faculty Publications

In arid and semi-arid regions, identifying and monitoring of soil alkalinity and salinity are in urgently need for preventing land degradation and maintaining ecological balances. In this study, physicochemical, statistical, and spectral analysis revealed that potential of hydrogen (pH) and electrical conductivity (EC) characterized the saline-alkali soils and were sensitive to the visible and near infrared (VIS-NIR) wavelengths. On the basis of soil pH, EC, and spectral data, the partial least squares regression (PLSR) models for estimating soil alkalinity and salinity were constructed. The R² values for soil pH and EC models were 0.77 and 0.48, and the root …

Appeals To Ownership Of Automobiles In Style Magazines Of The U.S. And U.K., 1930-2000, Steven D. Silver

Faculty Publications

We report an analysis of attribute and motive content of appeals to automobile ownership in print advertising of style magazines in the U.S. and U.K. Results of the analyses show significant country differences in appeals to technology, status and subcategories of motivation.

Minimizing And Addressing Microaggressions In The Workplace: Be Proactive, Part 2, Shamika Dalton, Michele Villagran

Faculty Publications

Our nation’s history plays a huge role in the way we perceive underrepresented groups. From slavery to segregation, to the inequality in compensation for women and people of color, to the refusal to wed same sex couples, discrimination and opposition has plagued the United States for decades. Since the Civil Rights Movement, discrimination towards underrepresented groups has shifted from overt acts to subtle and semiconscious manifestations called microaggressions. These manifestations reside in well-intentioned individuals who are often unaware of their biased beliefs, attitudes, and actions. They can lead to inequities within our relationships and affect our work productivity.

Comparison Of Personas Between Two Academic Libraries, Holt Zaugg, Donna Harp Ziegenfuss

Faculty Publications

Purpose: A persona describes a group of library patrons as a single person to better identify and describe user patterns and needs. Identifying personas in academic libraries can assist in library planning by focusing on patrons. Initially personas were thought to be unique to each library; additional insights led the researchers to rethink this assertion. This article seeks to determine if personas, developed in one library, are unique or more universal than previously thought.

Design/methodology/approach: In this study, 903 surveys were completed across two institutions asking library patrons to identify use patterns within each library. Mean score responses were analyzed …

Oprm1 Genotype Interacts With Serotonin System Dysfunction To Predict Alcohol-Heightened Aggression In Primates, Carlos A. Driscoll, Stephen G. Lindell, Melanie L. Schwandt, Stephen J. Suomi, J. Dee Higley, Markus Heilig, Christina S. Barr

Faculty Publications

Although the notion that alcohol promotes violence is widespread, not all individuals are aggressive while intoxicated. Genetic variation could be a contributing factor to individual differences in alcohol-heightened aggression. The present study examines the effects of OPRM1C77G genotype on responses to threat in rhesus macaques under normal conditions and following alcohol administration. Prior studies have shown that a low CSF level of 5-HIAA is a trait marker for individuals prone to escalated aggression. We wanted to examine whether the predictive value for this marker on aggression was moderated by OPRM1 genotype. Animals were administered alcohol (BAC 100-200 mg%), were provoked …

The Great Recession And The Destruction Of Minority Wealth, Douglas S. Massey, Jacob S. Rugh

Faculty Publications

It seems obvious now, but there was a time when social scientists paid little attention to wealth as a factor in America's system of racial stratification. For many years, researchers focused primarily on black-white differentials in education, employment, and earnings; and in these dimensions progress was clearly being made. From 1963 (just before the passage of major civil rights legislation) to 2001 (just after the economic boom of the 1990s), the ratio of black-to-white median household income rose from 33 percent to 64 percent. Over the same period, the black-white ratio for high school graduates climbed from 51% to 89%, …

How Distress Tolerance Mediates The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder And The Interpersonal Theory Of Suicide Constructs In A U.S. Military Sample, Rachel L. Martin, Brian W. Bauer, Kathleen L. Ramsey, Bradley A. Green, Daniel Capron, Michael D. Anestis

Faculty Publications

Objectives

Despite the general suicide rate within the military being comparable to the general population when comparing peers, there are certain branches of the military that have elevated risk. Specifically, the U.S. National Guard has suicide rates that are constantly higher than other military branches and civilian peers. The National Guard are a unique military population in which they frequently transition between military and civilian life. With these unique experiences and heightened risk, military suicide prevention efforts may benefit from further research within this population. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is another concern amongst military personnel and has been linked to …

The Multi-Scalar Organization Of Aging-Related Services In Us Rural Places, David L. Brown, Nina Glasgow, Laszlo J. Kulcsar, Scott R. Sanders, Brian C. Thiede

Faculty Publications

Many rural communities in the United States are experiencing significant population aging, and these changes in age structure are often associated with shifts in economic activity. The demands for certain goods and services are expected to vary across age groups, and public- and private-sector service providers may make decisions based on their interpretation of demographic trends. The extent to which these perceived changes in the demand for services align with their provision has significant implications for the well-being of the older residents of aging communities. In this article, we draw on case studies of four aging communities across the rural …

Understanding Couple Shared Reality: The Case Of Combined Couple Versus Discrepancy Assessments In Understanding Couple Forgiveness, Dean M. Busby, Randal D. Day, Joseph Olsen

Faculty Publications

In this methodological study we use the concept of couple forgiveness to explore how to utilize couple data to assess and analyze the systemic idea of a shared reality and other constructs. That is, when couples have a shared reality about a given topic (forgiveness) does that shared view enhance marital outcomes? Shared reality theory, would predict that if forgiveness is scored using a discrepancy calculation, net of previous marital quality and other standard controls, there will be significant and positive increases in relationship quality as discrepancy decreases. Data to evaluate these ideas were collected over three-years from interviews of …

Challenging Calls For Civility, Reshmi Dutt-Ballerstadt

Faculty Publications

In conjunction with her article "When Free Speech Disrupts Diversity Initiatives: What We Value and What We Do Not," Reshmi Dutt-Ballerstadt writes about civility codes and free speech for Academe Blog.

Stressors, Self-Esteem, Social Activities, And Depression: A Sample Of Patients At A Federally Qualified Health Center Who Experienced Homelessness, Joohee Lee, Morgan W. Bradwell, Michelle Brazeal, Timothy A. Rehner, Stephanie T. Mcleod

Faculty Publications

This study examined the relationships between current stressors and depressive symptoms among Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) patients who experienced homelessness, with a particular focus on the role of self-esteem and social activities on these relationships. The sample included patients who visited any clinic site of a FQHC in the southern part of Mississippi and qualified for the Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) Program. Assessments included the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the DUKE Health Profile, and a checklist of stressors. Results of the multivariate analysis using structural equation modeling revealed that ambulation difficulties were related to depressive symptoms directly …

Minimizing And Addressing Implicit Bias In The Workplace: Be Proactive, Part One, Shamika Dalton, Michele Villagran

Faculty Publications

Librarians and information professionals cannot hide from bias: a prejudice for or against something, someone, or a group. As human beings, we all have biases. However, implicit biases are ones that affect us in an unconscious manner. Awareness of our implicit biases, and how they can affect our colleagues and work environment, is critical to promoting an inclusive work environment. Part one of this two-part article series will focus on implicit bias: what is implicit bias, how these biases affect the work environment, and best practices for reducing these biases within recruitment, hiring, and retention in the library workplace.

Delineating Victims From Perpetrators: Prosecuting Self-Produced Child Pornography In Youth Criminal Justice Systems, Bryce Westlake

Faculty Publications

Video recording technology advancements and accessibility has been paralleled by a growth in self-produced child pornography (SPCP). Although social and judicial attention has been given to instances of teenage sexting, Internet-based forms of SPCP, such as webcam/website sex tourism, have almost been ignored. While some of the proposed legislation reform has referenced video-based SPCP, the majority has focused on SPCP distributed through cellular phones; excluding that which is manifested online or through entrepreneurial efforts. The purpose of this article is to introduce non-sexting SPCP, using the case study of Justin Berry (in the United States), and to propose a broad …

Reducing Vulnerabilities Among Female Migrants In The United States And Spain, Rachel Newcomb, Sarajane Renfroe

Faculty Publications

Migrants who establish connections in the host culture, particularly through nonprofit organizations, are more likely to integrate successfully into host societies (Martinez Garcia and Jariego 2002). Yet, anthropologist Maria Olivia Salcido and sociologist Cecilia Menjívar have noted, “gender hierarchies are embedded in the formulation, interpretation, and implementation of immigration laws, as experienced by immigrants” (2013:336). Our research, which compares two field sites in Apopka, Florida and Barcelona, Catalonia, demonstrates that despite the presence of vibrant organizations in both places, legal barriers in the U.S. hamper social integration by preventing women from accessing basic services necessary for survival. The criminalization of …

Knowledge, Access And Practice: Understanding The Affordable Care Act From The Voices Of Somali Immigrant Women In The United States, Fareeda Griffith

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Longitudinal Impact Of Screen Time On Adolescent Development: Moderation By Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia, Wesley Sanders, Justin Parent, Jamie L. Abaied, Rex Forehand, Sarah M. Coyne, W. Justin Dyer

Faculty Publications

Purpose: To date, little is known about underlying psychophysiological contributions to the impact of media content and overall screen time on adolescent psychological functioning. In the present study we examine respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) as a moderator of the link between specific types of media content use, overall media exposure, and the development of internalizing and aggressive symptoms in youth.

Methods: A sample of 374 adolescents (mean age = 15) reported on their media use, internalizing behavior, and aggressive behavior at time 1 (2011) and 1-year follow-up (2012). RSA reactivity was gathered during a challenging laboratory task. Path analyses were …

Prediction Of Soil Formation As A Function Of Age Using The Percolation Theory Approach, Markus Egli, Allen G. Hunt, Dennis Dahms, Gerald Raab, Curdin Derungs, Salvatore Raimondi, Fang Yu

Faculty Publications

Recent modeling and comparison with field results showed that soil formation by chemical weathering, either from bedrock or unconsolidated material, is limited largely by solute transport. Chemical weathering rates are proportional to solute velocities. Nonreactive solute transport described by non-Gaussian transport theory appears compatible with soil formation rates. This change in understanding opens new possibilities for predicting soil production and depth across orders of magnitude of time scales. Percolation theory for modeling the evolution of soil depth and production was applied to new and published data for alpine and Mediterranean soils. The first goal was to check whether the empirical …

Tweeting A Social Movement: Black Lives Matter And Its Use Of Twitter To Share Information, Build Community, And Promote Action, Candice Lashara Edrington, Nicole Lee

Faculty Publications

Public relations research has gradually incorporated the study of advocacy organizations. However, little research has focused on social movements in particular. Through a content analysis of all public tweets sent by Black Lives Matter (BLM) over a four-year period, this study examined the message strategies used on Twitter by the social movement as a means to share information, build community, and promote action. Consistent with research on other types of organizations, informational messages proved to be the most common. The study also analyzed the influence that these strategies had on audience engagement in terms of replies and retweets. Findings suggest …

More Than A Pretty Interface: The Louisiana Digital Library As A Data Hub, Scott Ziegler, Cara M. Key

Faculty Publications

The Louisiana Digital Library (LDL) is an online platform for libraries, museums, archives, and historical organizations across the state. The books, manuscripts, oral histories, maps, and photographs held in the LDL showcase the cultural resources of Louisiana.

The metadata about these items is also a great asset. When explored in their entirety, the data held in the LDL is as valuable as the digital facsimiles. This talk will explore the LDL as a data hub, a place to gather and share the metadata of the participating institutions. Open data is a growing trend in archives and special collections, enabling new …