Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

What Will Matter To Me In The Coming Presidential Election, Melody Bowdon

UCF Forum

A few weeks ago I made an early morning trek to a college campus two hours from where I live. I was scheduled to facilitate a discussion about academic leadership with colleagues around the state. I set my radio to C-SPAN and was soon listening to a morning call-in show. The host asked female listeners to share the policy issues that would matter most to them in the coming presidential election.

The Right To Stay Put: City Garden Montessori School And Neighborhood Change, Janine Bologna, Nava Kantor, Yunqing Liu, Samuel Taylor

Center for Social Development Research

This report presents findings from the Listening Project. A collaboration among St. Louis’ Forest Park Southeast Neighborhood Association, the Brown School of Social Work, and the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University, the project engaged underrepresented voices in the Forest Park Southeast, Botanical Heights, Tiffany, and Shaw neighborhoods neighborhood to identify priorities for community improvement.

Where Did All The Young People Go? Can The Organizations Of The State Of Maine Re-Enlist Its Native Youth?, Tyler Norman Mcpherson Ma

All Student Scholarship

As Maine and other New England states continue to be amongst the oldest in the United States, organizations in these states continue to struggle to find and retain suitable younger replacements for their retiring leadership. As the millennia! generation continues to become a significant portion of the American workforce, learning how to connect with, recruit, and retain this generation will prove useful when leadership succession is required. By exploring how this generation was nurtured and educated, we can begin to understand ways, such as non-traditional or reverse mentoring relationships, that New England's organizations can begin to recruit and retain their …

Social Media As Game Strategy: Twitter In The #Infolit Instruction Session, Kelly M. Blanchat, Lydia Willoughby

Publications and Research

The lure of distractions can entice even the strongest of student wills in a computer classroom. Research requires strategic thinking and ordered planning to drown out the noise of online distractions. This poster demonstrates a unique way to capitalize on the natural overlap of research, communication, and social media by employing game strategy to lead learning outcomes for undergraduate student research. Instead of silencing social media, this activity incorporates Twitter as a platform to introduce information literacy concepts and participatory practices of scholarship.

Identity And Investment In The Community Esl Classroom, Jennifer Marie Sacklin

Dissertations and Theses

After Norton Peirce's (1995, Norton, 2000) groundbreaking work in conceptualizing identity as "multiple, changing, and contradictory," many researchers have explored language learners' identities. However, few studies of identity have been conducted within the "overlooked and understudied" (Mathews-Aydinli, 2008) context of adult community ESL (English as a Second Language), and even fewer studies have focused on LESLLA (low-educated second language and literacy acquisition) learners in mainstream community ESL programs.

This thesis, based on a case study of an adult LESLLA learner in a community ESL class, analyzes how this student's identity, the social context of her life, and the classroom space …

Intrapersonal And Interpersonal Consequences Of Loneliness: Health Behavior, Social Interactions, Self-Disclosure, And Perceived Responsiveness, Sarah Noel Arpin

Dissertations and Theses

As a social species, human beings are driven by an innate desire to belong and are thus motivated to develop and maintain meaningful social relationships. As such, perceiving a lack of belongingness strongly impacts psychological and physiological health and well-being. A common form of perceived relationship deficits is loneliness, a negative-affective experience detrimental to health and well-being over time. Through a series of three manuscripts, this dissertation applies the full-cycle model of social psychological research to explore various affective, behavioral, and cognitive consequences of loneliness. Whereas existing models of loneliness focus on long-lasting or chronic forms of loneliness, these studies …

Mathematical Models Of Games Of Chance: Epistemological Taxonomy And Potential In Problem-Gambling Research, Catalin Barboianu

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Games of chance are developed in their physical consumer-ready form on the basis of mathematical models, which stand as the premises of their existence and represent their physical processes. There is a prevalence of statistical and probabilistic models in the interest of all parties involved in the study of gambling – researchers, game producers and operators, and players – while functional models are of interest more to math-inclined players than problem-gambling researchers. In this paper I present a structural analysis of the knowledge attached to mathematical models of games of chance and the act of mathematical modeling, arguing that such …

Examining The Impact Of Competition On Casino Revenues And Prices In The Mid-Atlantic States, Andrew J. Economopoulos, Uli Luxem

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The expansion of casinos in the Mid-Atlantic States has been motivated by the quest of states to capture the economic and tax revenue benefits of the new industry. The expansion of casinos and the increase in competition, however, has had an impact on revenue growth and prices. This study examines the impact of expansion on the casino revenues in the region from 1997-2012, and the price for gaming in Pennsylvania and New Jersey from 2006-2012. A spatial econometric model was employed to examine the net impact of casino revenues from expansion. Spatial econometrics captures the within state impact of expansion …

Art Arbitrage - Violations Of The Law Of One Price Created By Fine Art Auctions, Amy Liu

Undergraduate Economic Review

Although fine art is becoming increasingly popular as investment, its price determination is relatively opaque. This paper expands upon the work of Pesando (1993) and Pesando and Shum (2007) concerning the law of one price in the art auction industry. By examining the sale history of silkscreen prints from Andy Warhol’s 1970 series Flowers, this paper controls for the physical characteristics of particular artwork and seeks to determine the likelihood of sale and price differentials created by specific auction environments. This paper further examines the extent to which auction houses take into account these auction environments when setting presale …

Cost - Benefit Analysis Of The German High Speed Rail Network, Martin Dorciak

Undergraduate Economic Review

This study undertakes a cost-benefit analysis of the German railway market looking specifically at the effects of high-speed rail development on railway passenger subsidies. Using OLS regression analysis, I estimate a demand curve for the German railway network at the route level; this is combined with cost curve estimates to yield a required subsidy for rail development assuming a natural monopoly market structure. I find that an increase in demand as a result of the introduction of high-speed rail technology causes a 23.9% decrease in required rail subsidies.

Children In Armed Conflict: A Human Rights Dilemma, Afia Asamoah

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Despite the efforts of the United Nations and other international organizations, more than 300,000 children worldwide are currently forced into active combat roles and encouraged to commit crimes against humanity. This paper explores principles of natural justice, human rights, and human dignity through classical political rationalism as it relates to the issue of children in armed conflict. In doing so, this paper aims to provide a rational and objective standard to counter the practice of destroying childhood innocence through forced participation in war crimes and thus encourage the world to no longer turn a blind eye to this human rights …

The Beginning Of Digital Wisdom, Michael J. Paulus Jr., Ryan Ingersoll

SPU Works

Marc Prensky, who popularized the term “digital natives” more than ten years ago, now emphasizes the need for “digital wisdom”: using digital technologies wisely to become wiser. Recent research reveals that so-called digital natives are often “digital naïves”—familiarity with digital technologies does not translate into facility with them. Incoming college students report declining confidence in their computer skills and report very modest improvements by the time they graduate. Employers report deficiencies in the technological skills of college graduates and, perhaps most troubling, studies of youth and young adults show that ethical and moral reasoning does not extend much beyond self-protection. …

Scholarworks Usage Report, 05-2015, Scholarworks

ScholarWorks Reports

This report contains download and page views statistics for ScholarWorks, May 2015.

Cost Estimation In Public Health Services & Systems Research, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Considerable uncertainty persists about the resources required to implement public health programs and policies, and about the factors that drive variation in resource needs and utilization across community and institutional settings. This paper reviews several alternative approaches to cost estimation that we have used in the field of public health services & systems research (PHSSR). This review was prepared for an expert panel meeting convened as part of a study commissioned by the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) to estimate the costs associated with public health emergency preparedness capabilities.

Jane Austen's Liminal Heroines: Rituals Of Personal And Social Growth, Allison V. Juda

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Jane Austen’s six novels all follow a liminal heroine through her journey of personal growth, ultimately concluding with the success of the heroine and her society. In my project I examine how this liminal plot structure works, combining anthropological theories of liminality (most prominently those of Arnold van Gennep and Victor Turner) with the narrative structure of Austen’s novels. The growth of the heroine through the phases of liminality and eventual reintegration into society is marked by several challenges to the morality of the heroine. Yet, these challenges are, in fact, tests for the society just as much as they …

A Royal Problem: Planning Induced Supply Constraints In London, Elizabeth P. Armstrong

Lawrence University Honors Projects

We explore the impact of regulatory supply constraints on house price levels following boom and bust periods in London. We hypothesize that when regulatory restrictiveness increases during a boom period, house prices will be higher in the following year compared to house prices in less restricted areas. We also hypothesize that when regulatory restrictiveness increases during a bust period, house prices will be lower in the following year compared to house prices in less restricted areas. We empirically test our hypothesis using a multilevel mixed-effects model with a panel data set of 32 boroughs of London, ranging from 2001 to …

Reversal Of Age-Associated Cognitive Deficits Is Accompanied By Increased Plasticity-Related Gene Expression After Chronic Antidepressant Administration In Middle-Aged Mice, Yan Li, Aicha Abdourahman, Joseph A. Tamm, Alan Pehrson, Connie Sánchez, Maria Gulinello

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Cognitive decline occurs during healthy aging, even in middle-aged subjects, via mechanisms that could include reduced stem cell proliferation, changed growth factor expression and/or reduced expression of synaptic plasticity genes. Although antidepressants alter these mechanisms in young rodents, their effects in older animals are unclear. In middle-aged mice, we examined the effects of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (fluoxetine) and a multimodal antidepressant (vortioxetine) on cognitive and affective behaviors, brain stem cell proliferation, growth factor and gene expression. Twelve-month-old female C57BL/6 mice exhibited impaired visuospatial memory in the novel object placement (location) task associated with reduced expression of several plasticity-related …

Disability, Gender, And Employment Relationships In Africa: The Case Of Ghana, Augustina Naami

Faculty Work

The exploratory quantitative study sought to develop an understanding about the relationships among disability, gender and employment in Northern Ghana. A total of 110 individuals with disabilities (20–60 years) from various disability groups participated in the study. The results indicate that many persons with disabilities are unemployed, the majority being women. Discrimination is cited as the greatest barrier to the employment of persons with disabilities, particularly women. The majority of persons with disabilities, typically women, live in poverty; given that some are unemployed and those who are employed worked mostly in marginal, seasonal and menial jobs. Persons with disabilities also …

Analysing Chemical Attraction Of Gravid Anopheles Gambiae Sensu Stricto With Modified Bg-Sentinel Traps, Michael N. Okal, Manuela Herrera-Varela, Paul Ouma, Baldwyn Torto, Steven W. Lindsay, Jenny M. Lindh, Ulrike Fillinger

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Cues that guide gravid Anopheles gambiae sensu lato to oviposition sites can be manipulated to create new strategies for monitoring and controlling malaria vectors. However, progress towards identifying such cues is slow in part due to the lack of appropriate tools for investigating long-range attraction to putative oviposition substrates. This study aimed to develop a relatively easy-to-use bioassay system that can effectively analyse chemical attraction of gravid Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto. Methods: BG-Sentinel™ mosquito traps that use fans to dispense odourants were modified to contain aqueous substrates. Choice tests with two identical traps set in an 80 m2 screened …

Use Of Role And Power In Parent-Teacher Relationships: Perceptions From The Parent Perspective, Sonja Taylor

Dissertations and Theses

Studies have increasingly shown that more parent involvement leads to higher academic achievement for kids. However, studies have also shown a difference in the ability of parents to effectively further their children's interest based on social class. Middle-class parents are described as being able to activate their cultural and social capital in order to further their interests, while working-class and low-income parents have been described as frustrated and marginalized- lacking the ability to activate their capital in a way that benefits themselves and their children.

The intent of this study is to explore how parents understand their role in the …

Transformational Leadership, Diversity, And Creativity At Work: A Moderated Mediation Model, Aisha Smith Taylor

Dissertations and Theses

Organizational leaders often seek to hire and retain innovative employees as a source of competitive advantage. Both transformational leadership and effectively managed workplace diversity have been theorized and shown to lead to increased employee creative performance at work; however, a full model of the relationships between leadership and the multi-dimensional construct of workplace diversity has not yet been tested. Using a sample of 371 employees in three Chinese high-technology firms matched with 64 supervisors collected at three time points, this study theorized and tested a moderated mediation path model in which transformational leadership and diversity climate were predicted to significantly …

A Case Study Of University Archives: Illinois State University Archives As A Model Archive, Tammy M. Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

Given the diversity of sizes, administrators, and archival theory, it would appear logical to think that college and university archives would vary greatly in their development, processes, collecting policies, and challenges. While there is some variation, there are more similarities in college and university archives than there are differences. This study of four state universities in Illinois examines theses similarities and differences, comparing them with the Illinois State University Archives and with best practices and standards set by the Society of American Archivists and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Climate Change Discourse And Gendered Communication, Meagan Newsom Pierluissi

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Climate change is one of the most critical threats facing the 21st century. The effects on the planet, humankind, jobs, food supply, and other vital resources increase every year. Those communicating these details to the American public through mass media are doing so with gendered discourse. This study analyzes three speeches from predominant climate change communicators representing three different platforms: politician Al Gore, cultural figure Leonardo DiCaprio, and climate scientist James Hansen. Using discourse analysis informed by feminist standpoint theory, this study suggests that frames, words, phrases, and communication styles embedded in discussions of climate change continue to use gendered …

Increasing Civic Engagement: Adopting A Communities For All Ages Model In Gilbert, Az, Kathleen Mary Stringham

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The Gilbert Historical Society is expanding their vision and programming to encapsulate a Communities for All Ages (CFAA) approach. CFAA is an intergenerational approach where people of different generations purposefully work together to address the needs of a community. Gilbert is seeking to encourage social capital and civic engagement within the town. High levels of social capital, resulting in increased civic engagement, have proven to have a positive effect on many aspects of a community (Debertin, 1996, Forward, 2000, Grillo, Teixeira & Wilson, 2010, Henkin, Brown & Leiderman, 2012, Liberato, Brimblecombe, Ritchie, Ferguson & Coveney, 2011, Putnam, 1995, Robins, 2008). …

Relationship Between Health-Maintenance Preferences And Health, Kiara Dillard

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

This study examines the relationship between people’s general health and their health-maintenance practices, specifically, the use of over-the-counter medications (OTCs) and home remedies. These practices are used by many; however, there is still much uncertainty about how these impact one’s health. Subjects for this study are drawn from the Behavioral Sciences Research Participation Pool and will complete an adapted questionnaire taken from the Questionnaire to Document Self-Medicating Behaviours and the SF-36 Health Survey.

Hypothesis and Research Question:

Does one’s preferred self-medication practice relate to health?

There is a relationship between at least one of these forms of self-medication practices and …

Man’S Search For Meaning: The Case Of Legos Revisited, Michael Choi

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

How do perceived meaning, levels of resilience, and job-rotation affect productivity and labor supply? Answering this question will provide further insight on how manipulating tasks can influence labor supply, motivation, and productivity in almost any field of labor, such as school and the workplace. Further, this study will explore motivation and the “least-common-denominator of meaningfulness that is shared by virtually all compensated activities” (Ariely et. al., 2008). This study is a replication and extension upon Man’s search for meaning: The case of Legos (Ariely et. al., 2008).

Family Matters!: Examining The Relationship Between Family Climate And Suicidality, Depression, And At-Risk Behaviors Among Seventh-Day Adventist Adolescents World-Wide, Isaac Suh

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Recent research indicates that suicide is a growing cause of death in our country (CDC, 2010). Over the twelve year period (1999 to 2012), suicide rates increased by a staggering 40%. This is especially evident among adolescents (13-17 years). In spite of this trend, much remains to be known about the variability of this phenomenon across various subcultures. This study examines suicidal ideation and the effect of various demographic, psycho-social, and religious predictors among adolescents of a conservative religious denomination.

Research Question:

How does family climate effect the instances of at risk behaviors in adolescents in a conservative religious population?

Religiosity And Perceived Stress Among College Students, Cooper Hodges

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

What is the relationship between religiosity and perceived stress among college students? Previous research has suggested that religiosity is a buffer against outside stressors. Our study specifically focused on two forms of religiosity internalization: identified regulation and introjected regulation. Seventy-nine undergraduate students, in attendance at Andrews University, self-reported their perceived stress and religiosity levels as participants in a subject pool. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that identified regulation was a significant predictor of stress perception levels compared to introjected regulation. We conclude that students who have a more internalized religious belief system are more likely to exhibit lower stress levels.

Relationship Between Health-Maintenance Preferences And Health, Kiara Dillard

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

This study examines the relationship between people’s general health and their health-maintenance practices, specifically, the use of over-the-counter medications (OTCs) and home remedies. These practices are used by many; however, there is still much uncertainty about how these impact one’s health. Subjects for this study are drawn from the Behavioral Sciences Research Participation Pool and will complete an adapted questionnaire taken from the Questionnaire to Document Self-Medicating Behaviours and the SF-36 Health Survey. My hypothesis is there is a relationship between at least one of these forms of self-medication practices and health.

Demographic, Psycho-Social, And Religious Predictors Of Suicide Attempts Among Adolescents Of A Conservative Religious Denomination, Isaac Suh

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

Recent research indicates that suicide is a growing cause of death in our country (CDC, 2010). Over the twelve year period (1999 to 2012), suicide rates increased by a staggering 40%. This is especially evident among adolescents (13-17 years). In spite of this trend, much remains to be known about the variability of this phenomenon across various subcultures. This study examines suicidal ideation and the effect of various demographic, psycho-social, and religious predictors among adolescents of a conservative religious denomination.