Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Reconstruction After Genocide: An Analysis Of The Justice System For The Women Victims Of Genocidal Rape In Post-Conflict Bosnia, Hannah E. Gardenswartz

Scripps Senior Theses

In the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina, one of the critical elements of the ethnic cleansing regimes was rape and impregnation of women. When the international justice system was created to criminally try the perpetrators of the atrocities, including the rape victims was a new development. Looking at the tribunals and court system from a gendered perspective reveals that the efforts to include rape victims have not taken into account their specific needs, stemming from their trauma. A critical look the ICTY and other criminal courts are presented, as well as recommendations for improving inclusivity and reconciliation.

Mexican Masculinities: Migration And Experiences Of Contemporary Mexican American Men, Zandalee Springs

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examined how four Male Mexican American post-undergraduate college students constructed their views on what it means “to be a man”. The method of oral histories not only for it’s power but also for its ability to offer a different perspective than that given by theory. Oral histories offer a rich perspective that has the power to challenge dominant narratives. The thesis was set up to reflect the way that the past informs the future. Through beginning with the history of U.S.-Mexico border relations via NAFTA, the Bracero Program, and the Border Patrol, one grasps the contentious relationship between …

The Germ Theory Of Dystopias: Fears Of Human Nature In 1984 And Brave New World, Clea D. Harris

Scripps Senior Theses

This project is an exploration of 20^th century dystopian literature through the lens of germ theory. This scientific principle, which emerged in the late 19^th century, asserts that microorganisms pervade the world; these invisible and omnipresent germs cause specific diseases which are often life threatening. Additionally, germ theory states that vaccines and antiseptics can prevent some of these afflictions and that antibiotics can treat others. This concept of a pervasive, invisible, infection-causing other is not just a biological principle, though; in this paper, I argue that one can interpret it as an ideological framework for understanding human existence …

The Curse Of The V: Contemporary Feminist Movements And Performative Dichotomies In The Plays Of Caryl Churchill, Meredith A. Connelly

Honors Program Theses

Caryl Churchill mixes historical setting with shallowly defined characters and dissociative references to the contemporary within her vast body of work. She seeks to deny her audience the opportunity to blindly accept the entertainment of narrative theater, forcing them instead into a realm of discomfort where they must identify the unsavory elements of history with their own lived experience. This research began with the questioning of previous critical models which examine characters as autonomous beings rather than as personified themes, and asks how Churchill responds radically with theater as a medium to events pervading her own experience as a woman …

Copyrights And Creativity: The Affects Of Copyrights On Fairy Tales, Dina Arouri

Honors Program Theses

This work attempts to argue for a correlative relationship between copyright law and the evolution of literary works. It uses the laws and common practices of intellectual property to achieve this hypothesis.

Leadership Cultural Intelligence: A Path To Highly Effective Global Operations, Joseph C. Gelineau Jr

Master of Liberal Studies Theses

This is a comparative study of how to achieve highly effective leadership in foreign cultures. The collective findings reveal that effective leadership is significantly limited when not accompanied by conscious efforts to apply cultural intelligence as a leadership dynamic in global operations. It reviews the science of leadership in terms of visionary transformation of organizations by leaders and the application of cultural intelligence operating in foreign culture environments. It evaluates the effect of cultural differences in the key leadership areas of innovation, a primary determinate of effective organizational performance, and ethical behavior applied across different cultural groups. Published research from …

Ngos V. State: A Case Study Of The Effectiveness Of Women’S Development Programs In Tanzania, Sara M. Eliason

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper compares the effectiveness of an NGO and a government branch at promoting development through gender equality in Tanzania, in an attempt to determine whether one actor is more suited to this sector of development. Due to the nature of the actors, their approaches impact different parts of the population of Tanzania and are complementary in their impact. Both NGO and government efforts can help to empower women and in turn promote economic development in Tanzania.

Successfully Financing Classical Music Kickstarter Projects, Sarah Chung

Scripps Senior Theses

With the rise of technology and finance, crowdfunding has been uprising as a popular method of financing projects. Kickstarter provides an online platform in which anyone with Internet access can upload their own project “pitch” to gain funding for their idea on an all-or-nothing model. My thesis explores financial trends and factors that potentially contribute to a successful Kickstarter campaign within the classical music projects subcategory. I use a logistic regression and the Ordinary Least Squares model to examine a dataset of already successfully funded projects and a second dataset that contains both successfully and unsuccessfully funded projects that were …

America’S College Promise: An Economic Evaluation Of President Obama’S Free Community College Plan, Yue Guan

Scripps Senior Theses

In his 2015 State of the Union Address, President Obama announced “America’s College Promise,” a plan to make community college free for all American families making less than $200,000. In this thesis, I provide an analysis of the plan and provide an evaluation of its potential impact on the education attainment gap in the United States. I also evaluate the plan’s various components and assess its potential impact on community college student enrollment, completion, and transfer to four-year universities. Lastly, I offer recommendations for improvement.

Sexual Education Across The United States: Are We Doing It Right?, Emily A. Horne

Scripps Senior Theses

Since the early 20^th century, students across the United States have been learning sexual education in public classrooms. Although American society has made many advancements and social changes since then, the curriculum of sexual education has remained stagnant. It continues to stress the concept of “social hygiene,” promoting white, heterosexual norms while demoralizing adolescent sexuality (McCarty-Caplan 2013). Since the 1980’s, the federal government has created three federally funded programs to promote abstinence-only sexual education. Although there are no federal laws or policies that dictate states or districts must provide sexual education, the programs have pressured the boards and districts …

It's The Economy, Stupid: Economic Voting And Gender Bias In U.S. Congressional Elections, Grace Lutz

Scripps Senior Theses

This study examines the relationship between the state of the U.S. economy and the outcome of general elections for incumbents in the U.S. House of Representatives. The analysis uses a unique data set compiled from a sample of U.S. Congressional Elections and state and economic indicators between the years 1999 and 2014. We find that economic indicators are consistently related to election outcomes, but have a larger and more significant effect when the time period examined is closer to a major economic event, such as the Great Recession. We also find that female incumbent candidates are more negatively affected by …

The Economic Impact Of Transportation Network Companies On The Taxi Industry, Alice Wang

Scripps Senior Theses

Transportation Network Companies (TNC) are companies that use online-enabled platforms to connect passengers with drivers. In recent years, they have sparked controversy with the taxi industry, which accuses TNCs of operating unfairly. In my study, I look at taxi regulation, consumer transportation preferences, and costs and benefits of TNCs. I analyze data comparing three of these companies, Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar, with a traditional taxicab, and evaluate trends in taxi employment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. I find that Transportation Network Companies generally have shorter wait times, cheaper prices, and increased convenience, aspects that appeal to consumer preferences. I …

Hood's Theory Of Aging, Drew Michael Hood

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis proposes that the theory of gerotranscendence can be improved by emphasizing life course events that influence the gerotranscendence process. Further, this paper proposes that teaching gerotranscendence to long-term care staff and residents with Hood's theory of aging and with a departmental framework will yield better results in staff following gerotranscendence best practices and thus result in increased resident development towards gerotranscendence.

Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Determining The Relationship Between Social Networks And The Risk For Falls, Smita Sikhrakar

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Falls among community-dwelling older adults is a big public health problem, which have an effect on older adults' health, independence, and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between social networks and the risk for falls among community-dwelling older adults. This was a descriptive correlational study, which utilized a cross-sectional survey for the data collection. The dependent and independent variable of this study were the risk for falls among the community-dwelling older adults, and the strength and type of social networks respectively. In this study, 218 community-dwelling older adults were recruited, who were living …

Direct Care Staff And Influential Factors, Michelle Jean Ryan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The shortage of direct care workers will continue to influence the quality of care that the elderly population will receive. With the projected increase of worker shortages there will be not enough direct care workers to take care of the growing elderly population. With the baby boomer population's need for long term care, the need for qualified staff is also growing. Staff training development and consistent staffing, along with employee friendly benefits and policies will be needed to recruit and retain employees. The growing aging population, along with the increase in demand for quality care drives a need to find …

Toward A New Predictive Model Of Student Retention In Higher Education: An Application Of Classical Sociological Theory, Molly Kerby

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Theoretical models designed to predict whether students will persist or not have been valuable tools for retention efforts relative to the creation of services in academic and student affairs. Some of the early models attempted to explain and measure factors in the college dropout process. For example, in his seminal work, Tinto defined retention as a longitudinal process incorporating both the academic potential of the student and institutional social systems, thus creating a directional model based on continual variance in social commitments that influence academic performance. Others expanded the earlier theoretical models to test the predictive capabilities of these models …

The Educational Potential Of Alcohol-Related Flushing Among Chinese Young People, Ian M. Newman, Duane F. Shell, Zhaoqing Huang, Ling Qian

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Aim: This paper describes Chinese university students’ understanding of the meaning of the alcohol-related flushing response and how they reacted to their own and someone else’s flushing in a group drinking situation. Method: The researcher surveyed 530 Chinese university students about their understanding of flushing and their perception of how people respond to a person who visibly flushes while drinking alcohol. Findings: Most students did not know about the physiological cause of flushing. There were significant gender differences in both reactions to and perception of responses to a person who flushes. There was no direct relationship between flushing and drinking …

Teachers Matter: An Examination Of Student-Teacher Relationships, Attitudes Toward Bullying, And Bullying Behavior, Cixin Wang, Susan M. Swearer, Paige T. Lembeck, Adam Collins, Brandi Berry

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study investigated the influence of student-teacher relationships and attitudes toward bullying on middle school students’ bullying behaviors. Gender and grade differences were also examined. Data were collected from 435 middle school students. Results indicated that students’ attitudes toward bullying mediated the relationship between student-teacher relationships and physical and verbal/relational bullying. There was a significant group difference on student-teacher relationships and attitudes toward bullying between bully, bully-victim, victim, and bystander groups and students not involved in bullying. In addition, sixth graders reported significantly more positive student-teacher relationships than seventh and eighth graders. Implications for the role of both cognitive and …

Perceived Masculinity/Femininity Of Managers And The Feedback Environment, Jeremy W. Pawlak, Paul E. Levy Dr.

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Past research suggests that the masculinity/femininity of a supervisor plays a role in the effectiveness of his/her leadership in organizations. This study looked into the relationship between the perceived masculinity and femininity of supervisors by employees and the feedback environment. The data for the research were collected from 66 men and 78 women in the United States who were working 20 or more hours per week using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk website. The survey was the combination of the supervisor subscale of the Feedback Environment Scale (FES) and a slightly modified version of the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ). Each of the …

Parent Preferences And Evaluations Of Various Parenting Resources, June E. Stephens

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

A wide array of parenting information is readily available to parents. But, not all of this information is correct or credible. A survey of 57 parents was conducted in order to determine the types of parenting information sources most preferred, how often sources were used, and what criteria, if any, were used to evaluate those sources. Results showed that parents were most likely to consult friends and relatives for parenting information, and least likely to consult social media. Overall, it was found that most parents know how to appropriately evaluate the information they receive, but that others rely only on …

An Economic Analysis Of High-Intensity, Short-Duration Grazing Systems In South Dakota And Nebraska, Larry Janssen, Bronc Mcmurtry, Matthew Stockton, Alexander Smart, Sharon A. Clay

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Four different grazing systems: two rotational systems, a continuous grazing system, and a modified high-intensity, short-duration (mob) system were evaluated from an economic return and risk perspective. Stocking rates and average daily gains (ADG) were obtained from 2011 – 2014 from university ranch experiments in northern Nebraska. Simulation models were used to examine net returns and risk in each system and rank systems according to risk preferences. A twice through rotational grazing system was most profitable. Mob grazing was the least preferred, although when risk aversion increased, it rose in preference. Mob grazing could be profitable if adjustments increased animal …

Descriptions Of Sampling Practices Within Five Approaches To Qualitative Research In Education And The Health Sciences, Tim Guetterman

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Although recommendations exist for determining qualitative sample sizes, the literature appears to contain few instances of research on the topic. Practical guidance is needed for determining sample sizes to conduct rigorous qualitative research, to develop proposals, and to budget resources. The purpose of this article is to describe qualitative sample size and sampling practices within published studies in education and the health sciences by research design: case study, ethnography, grounded theory methodology, narrative inquiry, and phenomenology. I analyzed the 51 most highly cited studies using predetermined content categories and noteworthy sampling characteristics that emerged. In brief, the findings revealed a …

Student Loans And The Dynamics Of Debt, Brad J. Hershbein Editor, Kevin Hollenbeck Editor

Upjohn Press

The papers included in this volume represent the most current research and knowledge available about student loans and repayment. It serves as a valuable reference for researchers and policymakers who seek a deeper understanding of how, why, and which students borrow for their postsecondary education; how this borrowing may affect later decisions; and what measures can help borrowers repay their loans successfully.

The Quiet Conversation, Samantha Weisend

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Time Spent In The Military As A Moderator Of Endorsement Of Traditional Masculinity Ideology Predicting Relationship Satisfaction, Keiko M. Mccullough, Ronald F. Levant

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Objective: Military culture perpetuates traditional masculine norms (Alfred, Good, & Hammer, 2014). The internalization of traditional masculinity has been linked to reduced relationship satisfaction among heterosexual couples (McGraw, 2001). The present study investigated the role of military service as moderator of the relationship between masculinity ideology and relationship satisfaction. Method: 155 heterosexual male military personnel in romantic relationships recruited from the internet reported length of service, endorsement of traditional masculinity ideology, and relationship satisfaction. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to evaluate if length of military service moderated the relationship between masculinity and relationship satisfaction. Results: Results were not consistent with …

Characteristics Of Salafi Jihadist Activists, Emily N. Mayfield

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper will compare and contrast the personal characteristics among individuals who were born in Middle Eastern countries and have committed violent acts of terror in the name of Salafi Jihadism against Western countries. First, a review of the current literature on the pre-conditions for Salafi-jihadist radicalization and activism in general will be conducted. Next, the study will focus on those issues most salient to the Middle East. This research will serve as a precursor for further study on ways to build a characteristic based profile on at risk individuals for Salafi jihadist radicalization, recruitment, and activism.

Behavior Of Pollinators That Share Two Co-Flowering Wetland Plant Species, Joshua R. Morris

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Abstract:

Intermixed, co-flowering plant species often attract the same pollinators and may therefore compete for pollinator visits. Mimulus ringens and Verbena hastata are sympatric wetland plants that flower in synchrony and share many pollinators, the most common being bumblebees. The possibility of competition between these two plant species led to this observational study tracking pollinator movements in an area intermixed with both M. ringens and V. hastata. We identified pollinator species and tracked them as they visited flowers and moved from plant to plant. Smaller bees seemed to prefer the smaller flowers present on the V. hastata, and …

Student Voting Behavior At The University Of Akron, Turner G. Anderson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper explores the voting behavior of students at The University of Akron. The paper begins by looking at the body of research surrounding student voting behavior in the United States as a whole. Much of the research challenges traditional notions of how to predict voting behavior, and it is noted that many of the generational behavior research is outdated and may not describe today’s students well. Some of the some of the potential obstacles to student voting both in Akron and the country as a whole are also explored.

For the analysis, the voter turnout rate in 2010 through …

The Psychology Of Terrorism And Radicalization, Gina K. Dejacimo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Terrorism and radicalized political groups are an ever-growing subsection of the American and international news cycles. Mainstream media outlets tend to focus on the atrocious actions of terrorists, leaving the American public without a true understanding of what encourages someone to become a violent, radicalized extremist. This paper intends to investigate possible psychological factors that can predict a person’s likelihood to become radicalized and participate in a salafi jihadi terrorist campaign. If such psychological conditions exist, perhaps they are the key to preventing radicalization in the first place, and in turn, the key to preventing any terrorist activity. What other …

Resiliency Of Multiple-Placed Foster Youth Experiencing Emotional Competence: A Mixed-Methods Study, Audrey Murph-Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to address the resilient processes of multiple placed foster youth to develop age-appropriate emotional competence. Adding texture to the study was the role played by race and culture. Inherent to the study were the voices of successful multiple-placed foster youth. The research attempted to respond to gaps in the literature regarding African American and Hispanic youth placed in foster placements that, if better understood, can positively impact the livelihoods of other multiple-placed foster youth. The minor participants, 10 to 17 years old, selected for this study were no longer wards of the state, having been …