Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Perceptions And Misconceptions: The Relationship Between Education And Understandings Of Individuals Experiencing Homelessness, Julie Cronin

Honors Program Theses and Projects

An impediment to solving social issues such as homelessness lies in people’s stereotyped views and lack of knowledge regarding the issues. Holding stereotypes of entire groups of people often marginalizes the group of people and perpetuates their struggle. This can be seen in stereotypes that are held of individuals experiencing homelessness. The homeless population is highly stigmatized in the U.S. based on stereotyped views. Previous research, such as that completed by Knecht & Martinez (2009) indicates that individuals who have positive interaction with people experiencing homeless, as well as education about the issue, are much less likely to hold stereotyped …

Making The Dough And Knowing How To Spend It: Students' Understanding Of Personal Finance, Anthony Bazile

Honors Program Theses and Projects

This paper will explore the responsiveness Bridgewater State University (BSU) students have to the implementation of a personal finance course as part of a graduation requirement for every student. The National Financial Capability Study showed that most young people, 18-34 years old, scored the lowest in a basic financial literacy test. The aim of this paper is to analyze where BSU students stand on financial education while gauging how open students are to take personal finance courses offered on campus. In order to do so; the paper will analyze the students’ financial knowledge, attitudes and other influences to grasp what …

The Development Of Body Image In Dancers: Examining Gesture's Role In Conveying Body Image, Valeria Albano

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Body image and body dissatisfaction is an issue in western countries. Many females, especially dancers, have been objectified by a cultural stereotype of a thin body and being referred to as “skin and bones”. Recently, body disturbances have been reported in children as young as six years old. Children this young may be unaware that they are expressing these negative thoughts about their bodies and thus, the measures assessing body image are challenging to analyze. Another line of research has shown that children spontaneously produce hand gestures when narrating stories, solving math problems, or explaining scientific ideas. Moreover, children convey …

Using The Objectification Theory Framework To Assess The Unique Body Image Concerns Of Women Experiencing Homelessness, Melanie K. Mitchell

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The primary objective of this research is to explore the unique body image concerns of women experiencing homelessness, an understudied population in body image research. The hypothesis is that women who are currently homeless and who have experienced longer periods of homelessness will be more likely to have poorer body image. Homeless women may not possess the means to modify their appearance with hygiene products or facilities (Hoffman & Coffey, 2008). Also, an inconsistent food source may influence some women to binge when food is available, or to eat unhealthy foods that result in weight gain (Bove & Olsen, 2006). …

More Than Just Food: Analysis Of Food And Social Interactions, Kelsey Kazlauskas

Honors Program Theses and Projects

This study examines gender differences in the social interactions of elementary school students during their lunchtime period. This pre-adolescent culture initiates gender role behaviors that reflect how future views on gender will grow. The role of social interaction between peers relates to the food choices made in the lunchroom. The data for this study was collected through observations that took place over the course of two months in an urban public elementary school in southeastern Massachusetts. Observations were collected to closely examine how students in elementary grades are intermixing by age and gender in an informal, school-based setting. The observational …

From Goal-Striving To "Right Intention": A Grounded Theory Analysis Of Interviews With Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Participants, Julia E. Field

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) helps people to manage stress reactivity through contemplative practices such as meditation. The creator of the program, Kabat-Zinn (1994), defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (p. 4). Shapiro et al. (2006) clarified this definition as consisting of three mechanisms of mindfulness. In particular, their mechanism “intention” captures Kabat-Zinn’s phrase “on purpose.” Historically, mindfulness practices were intended to cultivate compassion and insight; thus, practitioners’ intentions need to be included in a psychological model of mindfulness (Shapiro & Schwartz, 2000). In keeping with their approach, this project …

Generation Peace: Peace Education To Unify A Globalized Society, Jocelyn Coombs

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The purpose of this study is to discuss how Peace Education may build on the objectives of Global and Diversity Education, and how it may enhance these objectives in higher education. Through a qualitative study of survey data and analysis of curriculum and diversity programs at Bridgewater State University, I examine connections between the diversity-oriented campus environment and student attitudes towards diversity. I use responses from a fifty-question survey distributed to over 300 students at BSU to analyze student attitudes towards diversity, individualism, and political engagement. While students enjoy meeting people from diverse backgrounds, a significant percent of respondents do …

Chain Of Command: The Barriers Of Reporting Sexual Assault In The Military, Danielle Christenson

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Reported rates of sexual assault in the military have increased dramatically over the past 10 years (Groves, 2013). One reason for the pervasiveness of sexual assault is the reporting structure. Despite changes in the way sexual assault complaints are handled, there continue to be numerous sexual assault scandals (Childress, 2013). The purpose of this study is to examine how the military’s chain of command influences the reporting procedures, and how this may influence the military’s ability to prevent sexual assaults. This thesis examines three case studies specifically focusing on military sexual assault reporting.

Prisons And Pups: An Examination Of Service Dog Training And Their Weekend Families, Kendra Garcia

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The use of service dogs for people with disabilities has increased in the last few decades. The service dogs come in the form of companion dogs, socialization dogs, medical alert dogs, and dogs for the mobility and hearing impaired. Therapy dogs are also used in clinical settings to ease the tension in hospital, and school settings. Since their use has increased, so has the demand. Training of service dogs can take anywhere from 12-18 months and can cost upwards of $20,000. Organizations have become creative in meeting the needs of their clients and turned to recruiting incarcerated persons in correctional …

Relation Of Personality Traits To Cognitive Impairments And Disease Severity In Parkinson's Disease, Lindsey Clark

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder with a prevalence rate ranging from 31 to 201 per 100,000 individuals. PD primarily affects individuals over the age of 65 years. Recently, researchers have recognized the importance that cognitive and other non-motor type deficits play in the lives of PD patients. Some speculate that PD patients even exhibit changes in certain personality traits. It is currently unclear, however, how these personality traits might relate to cognitive deficits and even disease severity. The current study examined this issue by administering a personality assessment and several cognitive (frontal-lobe) assessments to 27 …

The Construction Of Ethnoreligious Identity Groups In Syria: Loyalties And Tensions In The Syrian Civil War, Eliott Rousseau

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The ongoing civil war in Syria is characterized by its inherent complexity, often leaving non-Syrian onlookers and geopolitical stakeholders confused and fatigued. In a war with such a high human toll—refugees hemorrhaging from Syria’s borders, the death toll ever-climbing, and a generation of children growing up with the fighting—there is no room for mystification. This research project contextualizes the Syrian Civil War using anthropological concepts of religion and ethnicity. The ways in which religion and ethnicity help construct identity and group loyalty among Syria’s diverse population are examined. In particular, the role of membership in specific identity groups in creating …

Identities And Inbetweens: The Vietnamese And Assimilation Strategies In Germany, Andrew C. Downs

Honors College Theses

Multiculturalism has met with opposition in Germany as many of its native citizens have expressed their dissatisfaction with the country’s immigrant population. The problem, however, really lies in the system of integration utilized by Germany. The German government claims multiculturalism has failed, yet the integration approach the country utilizes is actually somewhere between multiculturalism and assimilation. This research suggests that Germany has not attempted true multiculturalism. The supposed failure of multiculturalism is often blamed on the apparent unwillingness of immigrants to integrate, but Germans are hesitant to accept even the better integrated immigrant groups, such as the Vietnamese. To illustrate …

Accountability Models In Policy Design: Understanding The Explanatory Power Of The Four Major Accountability Models In Policy Tool Choices, David Seiler Jarvis

Dissertations and Theses

In the study of government accountability, there have long been arguments about which model is superior. These arguments, which are largely made by those in the performance and political accountability camps, state that their particular model is the best, and indeed only legitimate approach to ensuring accountable government. At the same time, there is growing research in policy tools but little in how accountability models and policy tools are linked in policy design.

This study makes use of the context provided by the critical cases of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). …

Reflector In Internet Archive, Georgia Southern University, Zach S. Henderson Library

Library Publications (1999-2023)

• Reflector in Internet Archive

College Students’ Attitudes Towards Adults With Developmental Disabilities: Does Direct Contact Make A Difference?, Caroline E. Greene

Honors College Theses

Data were collected from thirty college students who participated in an alternative break trip and approximately seventy college students who did not attend the trip. Study subjects served as counselors at a camp for adults with developmental disabilities. Data were collected using five measures: a) before the week started, students filled out a survey which questioned their comfort level and attitude when interacting with this population; b) this same survey was administered to a random sample of college students who did not attend the break trip c) at camp, students kept a journal throughout the week documenting their experiences; d) …

An Hsi Fact Sheet: The Environmental, Public Health, And Social Impacts Of Pig Factory Farming, Humane Society International

HSI FACT SHEETS

Since the mid-20th century, small, extensive farms have given way to massive, commercial pig production facilities. In 2009, more than 1.3 billion pigs were raised and slaughtered globally. Between 1980 and 2000, though world pork production nearly doubled, there was a decrease in the total number of farms. Large industrial farm animal production facilities, or factory farms, that often confine thousands of pigs indoors, are becoming more widespread throughout the world, particularly in developing countries. Factory farms are now responsible for more than half of all global pork production.

A significant implication of the shift toward factory farms has been …

An Hsi Fact Sheet: Avian Influenza In India, Humane Society International

HSI FACT SHEETS

Avian influenza (AI), commonly known as bird flu, typically causes little or no harm to its wild waterfowl hosts. In 2003-2004, however, nine Asian countries reported unprecedented outbreaks of high-mortality AI in domestic poultry. This viral lineage, subtype H5N1, has spread to over 60 countries, and is considered endemic in at least four.

In India, H5N1 outbreaks were first recorded in 2006, and have continued each year since, reaching a total of 86 by 2012. Millions of India’s chickens and ducks have been culled in efforts to contain and eliminate the virus. India has declared itself free of AI a …

An Hsi Fact Sheet: Biosecurity Challenges Of Industrial Farm Animal Production, Humane Society International

HSI FACT SHEETS

Industrial farm animal production (IFAP) has become increasingly common throughout the world. Worldwide, industrial systems now account for approximately two-thirds of poultry meat production and half of egg and pig meat production, with developing countries already producing approximately half of the world’s industrial pork and poultry by 2006.

Inherent design and operational requirements of IFAP facilities can create biosecurity problems with both bioexclusion and biocontainment—efforts to prevent the respective influx and efflux of pathogens. These may help explain why large commercial flocks may be up to 10,000 times more likely to report outbreaks with pathogens such as highly pathogenic avian …

Cities Awash In A Sea Of Governments: How Does Political Fragmentation Affect Cities And Their Regions?, Laura E. Wiedlocher

Dissertations

Is political fragmentation within the metropolitan area and within central city government a cause of central city decline or just the benign evolution of governance? Advocates of regional governance consider political fragmentation, the number and types of governments in a metropolitan area, a causal factor in decline. However a multiplicity of governments offer individual households greater choice and variety, in other words fragmentation represents the will of the people. All metropolitan areas are fragmented to some degree and whether or not this is harmful to cities and their regions is the empirical question considered. Political explanations on the impact of …

嶺大積極肩負社會責任 藉服務研習連繫社區, Office Of Service-Learning, Lingnan University

OSL Supplement 新聞特刊

原載於2014年5月12日《星島日報》。

Originally published in "Sing Tao Daily" 12th May 2014.

Another Way To Assess The College Experience: A Caring Professor, Michael Hemesath

Administration Publications

No abstract provided.

Columbia Chronicle (05/12/2014), Columbia College Chicago

Columbia Chronicle

Student newspaper from May 12, 2014 entitled The Columbia Chronicle. This issue is 52 pages and is listed as Volume 49, Number 30. Cover story: "Out with the old, in with Kwang-Wu" Editor-in-Chief: Lindsey Woods

Bubbles, Post-Crash Dynamics, And The Housing Market, Crocker H. Liu, Adam Nowak, Stuart Rosenthal

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

This paper documents and explains previously unrecognized post-crash dynamics following the collapse of a housing bubble. A simple model predicts that speculative developers ensure stable pre-crash relative prices between small and large homes while their post-crash exit allows smallhome relative values to fall. Evidence from Phoenix supports the model. Although home prices doubled 2004-2006, relative prices of small-to-large homes remained nearly constant but then plummeted post-crash. As speculative developers return relative prices must return to pre-boom levels, consistent with patterns since 2011. Anticipated mean reversion indicates that cities can reduce post-crash volatility and mispricing by publicizing size-stratified house price indexes.

Group Productivity In Varying Communication Mediums: Testing Face-To-Face And Virtual Interaction, Jessica Walker

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Research in the field of industrial organizational psychology identifies key factors that affect team productivity in the workplace. One such critical factor is communication mode and the integration of technology into work interaction. Using an experimental design modeled after Straus and McGrath's 1994 study on productivity when using face-to-face (FTF) and chatroom communication, this study focuses on a Deaf population and adds computer-mediated video communication. Fourteen groups of 3-5 participants were each assigned one of the three nodes of communication and given three timed tasks to answer together. At the end, participants filled out an individual survey reflecting upon the …

Thomason Political Folklore Collection (Fa 774), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archive Project 774. The Thomason Political Folklore Collection includes projects conducted by students from a number of counties in the state of Kentucky and few from nearby states. The collection includes information pertaining to those counties political oral traditions. This project was conducted by students at Western Kentucky University for class credit.

Clinician Interest In Working In Substance Abuse Treatment: The Role Of Self-Efficacy, Outcome Expectancies, And Stigma, Genevieve Anne Covert

Theses and Dissertations

Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) was used to examine clinician career interest for working in substance abuse treatment. The study examined the impact that self-efficacy and outcome expectancies have while exploring stigma as a moderating variable. Participants (N = 153) with experience providing mental health treatment completed the study. A series of self-report surveys were administered electronically. A series of Likert scales were used to assess career interests, self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and stigma. A service-load measure and demographics survey were also completed. Correlation analyses and regression analyses revealed that self-efficacy significantly predicted career interest in substance abuse counseling. These analyses …

Order Of The Major Constituents In Sign Languages: Implications For All Language, Donna Jo Napoli, R. Sutton-Spence

Linguistics Faculty Works

A survey of reports of sign order from 42 sign languages leads to a handful of generalizations. Two accounts emerge, one amodal and the other modal. We argue that universal pressures are at work with respect to some generalizations, but that pressure from the visual modality is at work with respect to others. Together, these pressures conspire to make all sign languages order their major constituents SOV or SVO. This study leads us to the conclusion that the order of S with regard to verb phrase (VP) may be driven by sensorimotor system concerns that feed universal grammar.

Ddasaccident818, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

Two Cambodian demining experts were killed in Battambang province’s Samlot district on Saturday after detonating an anti-tank mine while carrying out clearance work in the former Khmer Rouge stronghold.

The primary cause of this accident is listed as ‘Inadequate training’ because the Victims were apparently cutting undergrowth (grass) in a manner that detonated an anti-tank mine (which is designed to require the weight of a heavy vehicle to detonate). It is uncertain what vegetation cutting tools they were using. It is possible that an anti-personnel mine was placed on top of the anti-tank mine and one victim stepped on the …

The Long Struggle For Justice In Guatemala, Lauren Carasik

Media Presence

No abstract provided.

Osgoode Digital Commons: An Update, F. Tim Knight, Louis Mirando

Librarian Publications & Presentations

Presentation delivered by F. Tim Knight at the Osgoode Hall Law School faculty meeting May 12, 2014.