Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Museum Activism And Social Responsibility: Building Museum Education Programs For Juvenile Offenders, Elizabeth E. Sirhall

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Museums are important to their communities and serve many significant purposes to society. The traditional viewpoint of a museum’s function is that they are there to preserve and interpret collections for the sake of facilitating deeper understanding and education for museum audiences. However, museums are also viewed as institutions that can bring people in the community together, promote social activism, and develop programs aimed towards creating positive changes within communities. In today’s world, museums are finding this task increasingly difficult due to financial challenges and struggling to stay socially relevant for diversified audiences. In facing this challenge, it is imperative …

The Management And Stewardship Of A Cetacean Collection, Rebecca Vele

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Cetacean, by definition, is a marine mammal of the order Cetacea; a whale, dolphin or porpoise. In light of their social intellect and friendly appearance, cetaceans are used in institutions such as zoos and aquariums as a source of education and entertainment for the public. Before the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, cetaceans were captured worldwide including in U.S. waters. In the United States today, there are over 224 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Out of those 224, 34 of these institutions display cetaceans.

Even though the Marine Mammal Protection Act “Prohibits, with …

Jefferson's New Smoking Policies: Steps Toward A Healthier Work Environment, Russell K. Mcintire Phd,Mph, Amber Bowie Mph Student

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Image Segmentation Using Fuzzy-Spatial Taxon Cut, Lauren Barghout

MODVIS Workshop

Images convey multiple meanings that depend on the context in which the viewer perceptually organizes the scene. This presents a problem for automated image segmentation, because it adds uncertainty to the process of selecting which objects to include or not include within a segment. I’ll discuss the implementation of a fuzzy-logic-natural-vision-processing engine that solves this problem by assuming the scene architecture prior to processing. The scene architecture, a standardized natural-scene-perception-taxonomy comprised of a hierarchy of nested spatial-taxons. Spatial-taxons are regions (pixel-sets) that are figure-like, in that they are perceived as having a contour, are either `thing-like', or a `group of …

‘Edge’ Integration Explains Contrast And Assimilation In A Gradient Lightness Illusion, Michael E. Rudd

MODVIS Workshop

In the ‘phantom’ illusion (Galmonte, Soranzo, Rudd, & Agostini, submitted), either an incremental or a decremental target, when surrounded by a luminance gradient, can to be made to appear as an increment or a decrement, depending on the gradient width. For wide gradients, incremental targets appear as increments and decremental targets appear as decrements. For narrow gradients, the reverse is true. Here, I model these phenomena with a two-stage neural lightness theory (Rudd, 2013, 2014) in which local steps in log luminance are first encoded by oriented spatial filters operating on a log-transformed version of the image; then the filter …

Does Thin Always Sell? The Moderating Role Of Thin Ideal Internalization On Advertising Effectiveness, James A. Roberts, Chloe' A. Roberts

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Much of the current focus on the use of ultra-thin models in fashion magazines can be attributed to Madison Avenue which still operates under a “Thin Sells” ethos. Research to date, however, has provided equivocal evidence of the efficacy of thin models in advertising (Yu 2014). The present study’s two related objectives include: (1) determining whether model size has an impact on advertising effectiveness, and (2) if internalization of the thin ideal moderates this relationship. Study results suggest model size in fashion advertisements has no main effect on advertising effectiveness. Additionally, thin ideal internalization moderates the model size – advertising …

A Linearized Model For Flicker And Contrast Thresholds At Various Retinal Illuminances, Albert Ahumada, Andrew B. Watson

MODVIS Workshop

Watson and Ahumada (1992 SID) predicted flicker thresholds for bright displays using a temporal contrast sensitivity function (TCSF). Under the assumptions that the falling limb of the TCSF is linear at all retinal illuminations and that the Ferry-Porter law can be extended to supra-threshold levels, the thresholds for any of the three variables (frequency in Hz, log10 contrast, and retinal illuminance in log Trolands) can be predicted from the other two from a linear model with four parameters.

The Gendered Image : An Art And Literature Based Curriculum For High School Audiences, Emily Erwin-Mcguire

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This curriculum uses images, artwork, literature and media to facilitate conversations to build knowledge and understanding about feminism and self-identity. It is designed to be used by educators of high school students in school, museum or after school settings.

Quality Of Early Childhood Development Services Across Contexts : Experience With The Sithuthukile Trust, South Africa, Rachel Warren

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The purpose of this paper is to understand how the quality of early childhood development (ECD) programs is determined within two different contexts: western and South African.

Romps, Riots, And Revels In The Land Of Make-Believe : Imaginative Play As A Prerequisite For Social And Emotional Development In Early Childhood Through Adolescence, Shoshana Balk

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper explores the impact of imaginative play on child development, as well as its educational benefits when incorporated into the learning environment.

Patriarchy, Empire, And Ping Pong Shows: The Political Economy Of Sex Tourism In Thailand, Kristen Kelley

Cultural Studies Capstone Papers

This project provides a postcolonial feminist analysis of the prosperity and reputation of the sex tourism industry in Thailand. It examines the ways in which Western imperialism created the space for the globalization of sex work, as well as providing a postcolonial analysis of the hegemonic structures which have existed throughout Thailand's history that enable the sex tourism industry to thrive today. This project also explores how policy making and enforcement in Thailand affects the sex tourism industry, as well as the ways in which activism works to change or support these policies, and how this affects individuals who are …

Supporting The Threads Of The Family Tapestry : The Role Of Child Life In Adoption, Rachel N. Werner

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Explores the developmental, cultural and health related impacts of adoption along with effects of early adversity. The goal of this paper is to utilize existing research on adoption to argue the necessity for a child life specialist in the life of an adopted child and their family.

Ruin Porn And Urban Representation In Photography: The Aesthetic And Politics Of Appropriation In "The Ruins Of Detroit", Elyse Remenapp

Cultural Studies Capstone Papers

This project examines the politics of representation in The Ruins of Detroit, a book of photography by Yves Marchand and Romaine Meffre in order to understand Detroit as a privileged site of ruins photography, critically referred to as ruin porn. Examining the book as a representation of Detroit's decay reveals an implicit power dynamic which neglects Detroit's complex history and the lived experience of its residents. Paying particular attention to the dialectic of race and labor under capitalism, this project traces the urban history of Detroit in order to contextualize and reframe the state of ruin presented in the …

Fearless Friday: Class Of 2015, Chrisitina L. Bassler

SURGE

We recognize all of the Gettysburg College graduates who will use what they learned and experienced over the past four years to fearlessly promote change, seek justice, and challenge inequality after leaving Gettysburg College. The following list contains the names of members of the class of 2015 who have been recognized by other members of the campus community as leaders for change, and we are proud to claim these fearless and inspirational students as our own. We know, however, that we do not have everyone who deserves to be recognized listed below, so feel free to continue nominating your friends, …

Nebraska Libraries - Volume 3, Number 2 (May 2015)

Nebraska Libraries

No abstract provided.

Religious Principles And The Stakeholder Perspective: A Natural Union, Jordan Nielsen, Brad Agle

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this research is to provide moral (normative) underpinnings for a stakeholder perspective of business management through the consideration of commonly-followed Christian religious principles. Religious principles are a rich and pervasive source of normative values, but in the corporate world moral values have long been ignored or subordinated—leading to what scholars have called the “divided life”, embracing moral imperatives outside the workplace while ignoring them within (Naughton & Alford, 2012). Ghoshal (2006) criticized this mindset, blaming it’s propagation on a view of management inspired by “amoral theories…[thus freeing individuals] from any sense of moral responsibility” (p.76). The traditional …

Why Abstain? Trends In And Origins Of Indifference And Estrangement In The United States, 1968-2012, Christopher R. Keeler

Masters Theses

Abstention rates have remained quite high in the United States for the last several decades. This thesis explores the trends in and origins of the nonvoters from 1968 to 2012 using a statistical model of abstention in presidential elections. The objective is to determine why nonvoters have chosen to abstain and who are they?

Using data from the American National Elections Studies, four groups of nonvoters are identified – voters who are both alienated and indifferent, voters who are neither alienated nor indifference, voters who are only alienated, and voters who are only indifferent. The two groups exclusively analyzed are …

State Of Memory: National History And Exclusive Identity In Contemporary Denmark, John Terrell Foor

Masters Theses

Increased rates of immigration to Western European states over the past three decades have yielded a wealth of literature in the social sciences, much of which has focused on cases of individuals from so-called ―non-Western‖ countries of origin. Immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia often bring with them cultural and religious traditions that are unfamiliar to the citizens of states which receive them. Tensions between majority populations and growing minorities in Western Europe have resulted in skepticism—and, increasingly, hostility—toward immigrants, particularly those regarded as ―"Islamic."

But is this type of tension inevitable? Are difference and …

We The People: A Simulation For Young Voters, Jessee Hankins

Honors Projects

This project discusses the evolution of my project from its inception through its completion. As a pre-service teacher in student teaching, my experiences directly influenced the development of this project. The project is one that discusses the use of simulations in a social studies classroom, and includes a lesson plan of the lesson that I used within my student teaching experience. The lesson plan also comes with materials that teachers may take advantage of the lesson plan, using it in their classroom to teach their students about the compromises that were created at the Constitutional Convention.

A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Reporting Experience For Female Survivors Of Sexual Assault On College Campuses, Candace N. Park

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative phenomenological design was used to explore the lived experiences of college women who reported sexual assault to law enforcement officials. Utilizing a feminist conceptual framework, the purpose of the present study was to identify the essence of the reporting experience for college women who experienced a sexual assault. Six college women agreed to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with open-ended questions to better understand the experience of the phenomenon under investigation. The Modification of the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen Method of Analysis of Phenomenological Data (Moustakas, 1994) was utilized for analysis of the data collected in order to …

Urban Utopias And Suburban Slums: A Demographic Analysis Of Suburban Poverty And Reurbanization In American Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Isabelle Notter

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study examines 2000 and 2010 Census data to determine the resettlement patterns of urban and suburban residents in 23 American metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). Previous research discusses the development of an affluent suburbia, leaving postindustrial cities in decline. However, recent literature suggests the reurbanization of postindustrial cities by the creative class, a Return to the City movement fueled by middle class entrepreneurs, artists, and technocrats. Alongside reurbanization are increases in poverty, and racial and ethnic enclaves in suburbia. The literature shows these trends as two separate, independent processes. This study investigates the relationship between these processes within MSAs. Consistent …

Three Essays On Public Economics And Policy, Xiaoxue Li

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation studies the effects of public programs that target at disadvantaged population. In particular, I examine the effects of these programs on individual well-being and whether these programs lead to behavior distortions. The dissertation consists of three essays that focus on different policy contexts and different populations.

In the first essay, I examine the effects of an active labor market program on the labor market outcomes of veterans. In the 1990s, the US Department of Defense implemented the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to help military personnel transition to the civilian labor market. The program provides career counseling, employment workshops, …

A Framework For Adoption Of Challenges And Prizes In Us Federal Agencies: A Study Of Early Adopters, Claudia Alice Louis

Dissertations - ALL

In recent years we have witnessed a shift in the innovation landscape of organizations from closed to more open models embracing solutions from the outside. Widespread use of the internet and web 2.0 technologies have made it easier for organizations to connect with their clients, service providers, and the public at large for more collaborative problem solving and innovation. Introduction of the Open Government initiative accompanied by the America Competes Reauthorization Act signaled an unprecedented commitment by the US Federal Government to stimulating more innovation and creativity in problem solving. The policy and legislation empowered agencies to open up their …

A Phenomenological Study Of Factors That Influence Project Manager Efficacy: The Role Of Soft Skills And Hard Skills In It-Centric Project Environments, Chuck Millhollan

Dissertations - ALL

One source of confusion around the factors that influence project manager efficacy already identified in the literature is the lack of clear agreement on definitions of success as viewed by different stakeholders in the context of project success, project management success, and project manager success. These are not subtle differences when making decisions related to hiring, professional development efforts, and curriculum development. The purpose of this phenomenological research was to identify what Senior IT Leaders and Certified Project Management Professionals (PMPs) identify as the most important attributes for project manager efficacy as it relates to project success. The first sub-question …

The Impact Of Natural Resource Booms On Local Economic Conditions, Mallory Vachon

Dissertations - ALL

My research examines the impacts of natural resource booms on local economic conditions. Each chapter relies upon evidence from the three-state region of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. A combination of rising prices and advancements in extraction technologies led to a boom in oil production in the region. This boom represents an exogenous shock to local economic conditions.

The first and second chapters of my dissertation examine the impact of this exogenous labor demand shock that increased earnings in the three-state region. The first chapter analyzes the impact of earnings growth on net migration rates. My estimates suggest that …

Effects Of Rhes Prenylation On Mouse Cognition In A 3-Nitropropionic Acid Animal Model Of Huntington's Disease, Diana Hobbs

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Located on the short arm of chromosome 4, there exists a gene, IT15, responsible for the trinucleotide CAG expansion involved in the autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder known as Huntington’s disease (HD). The brain region associated with the most atrophy, the striatum, leads to expression of severe motor dysfunction, the hallmark feature of HD. To a lesser degree, the cortex and hippocampus show earlier deterioration indicative of the cognitive deficits that occur prior to motor symptom onset. The brain regions associated with HD-induced neuronal death additionally selectively express the protein Rhes - the combination of Rhes and mutant huntingtin being cytotoxic. …

Reflections Of Globalization: A Case Study Of Informal Food Vendors In Southern Ghana, Arianna J. King

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In the context of rapid urbanization, globalization, market liberalization, and growing flexibility of labor in the post-Fordist era, urban environments have seen economic opportunities and employment in the formal sector become increasingly less available to the vast majority of urban dwellers in both high-income and low-income countries. The intersectional forces of globalization, and neoliberalization have contributed to the ever-growing role of informal economic opportunities in providing the necessary income to fulfill household needs for individuals throughout the world and have also influenced social, cultural, and spatial organization of informal sector workers. Using a case study and ethnographic information from several …

Effectiveness Of Statin And Bisphosphonate Treatment In A 3np Model Of Huntington’S Disease, Leslie K. Kelley

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Men And Friendship: An Exploration Of Male Perceptions Of Same-Sex Friendships, Gerard Williams

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Differences between female and male same-sex friendships have been the subject of numerous studies. Additionally, male same-sex friendships have been studied independent of the differences related to female same-sex friendships. Despite these studies, a comprehensive, agreed on definition of male friendship remains unclear or ill-defined. The manner in which men perceive, express and experience same-sex friendships can be viewed as learned behaviors based on gender schema and sex typing. Men’s friendships, as viewed through the gender schema theory, are shaped through the association of gender based male identity and male behaviors. This phenomenological study investigated male perceptions of same-sex male …

Confirmation Of Prophecy By Proxy: Audience Anticipation And Reception Of The 2014 Movie Left Behind And Its Relevance To The Dispensational Premillennialist Worldview, Andrew R. Burns

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Media has the potential to legitimize or spread a belief system to the general public. The 2014 movie Left Behind is an example of a deliberate attempt at promoting the belief system referred to as dispensational premillennialism (DPM), or belief in the imminent rapture of Christians. Producers of Left Behind (2014) sought to promote DPM to the general public, hoping for a mass conversion. Online discussion and interviews were gathered and interpreted qualitatively. Content analysis of audience anticipation and reception show believers were as concerned with the conversion of the general public via this movie than the movie itself. Differences …