Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Group Empathy On U.S. Intergroup Attitudes And Behavior In The Context Of Immigration Threats, Cigdem Sirin, Nicholas Valentino, José Villalobos

Departmental Papers (PS)

No abstract provided.

On Community, Justice, And Libraries, John Buschman, Dorothy Warner

Library Publications

At the core of terms such as “inclusion,” “civic engagement,” “social participation,” and “social justice”—terms that this special issue is built around—are political concepts that have been plumbed deeply by political theorists. Two concepts that underwrite much of this terminology are community and justice, both robustly debated within political theory. It is the premise of this article that exploring those debates—definitions of justice and community put forward and argued—and proposing specific versions of those core concepts will provide a defensible basis for research deploying these terms and a practical raison d’état for the institutions of library and information science. Defensible …

Quality Of Life And Athletic Participation Assessment In Children And Adolescents With Congenital Heart Disease, Kayla Stuckey

Honors Program Theses

Just under 1% of infants are born with a heart defect [congenital heart disease (CHD)], and as a result of treatment and early diagnosis, 85% of these children survive into adulthood. Few studies have investigated the quality of life, global happiness, and athletic participation in pediatric populations, especially with respect to those who have CHD. In 2010, the number of people aged 0-18 years who had CHD was estimated to be between 1,905,000 and 2,102,000, and there are varying qualities of life that these children experience based on disease severity. In addition to patients who are born with CHD, children …

Reliability And Concurrent Validity Of An Alternative Method Of Lateral Lumbar Range Of Motion In Athletes, Mark D. Hecimovich, Jeffrey J. Herbert

Faculty Publications

Background: Cricket bowling involves combined spinal movements of side bending and rotation and, consequently, injury to the low back is a common problem. Therefore the assessment of lumbar spine kinematics has become a routine component in preseason screening. This includes static measurement of lateral spinal flexion as asymmetrical range of motion may predispose an athlete to low back injury.

Objectives: This study examined intra-rater reliability and concurrent validity of the fingertip-to-floor distance test (FFD) when compared to a criterion range of motion measure.

Methods: Thirty-four junior-level cricket players aged 13‑16 years were recruited. Lumbar spine lateral flexion …

Winter Is Coming, Middendorf-Kredell Branch (St. Charles City-County Library District, Mo)

Weather/Natural Disasters

Bibliography and photographs of a display of government documents from Middendorf-Kredell Branch (St. Charles City-County Library District, Missouri).

Territory Folks Should All Be Pals: Qualitative Use Of Search Logs To Improve Confidence In And Communication About A Library Discovery Service, Jimmy Ghaphery, Mark Baggett, Thomas Mcnulty, Emily Owens

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

The efficacy of library discovery tools can be a contentious topic within libraries. This presentation will describe the use of Primo search logs as a vehicle to encourage constructive conversations across departments in two different university research libraries (University of Tennessee and Virginia Commonwealth University). In particular this project aimed to bring together systems and public service librarians in order to improve communication across departments and the library discovery system itself. Results from each institution will be presented and compared along with ideas for future research.

Assessing The Unpredictable, Margaret E. Henderson

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Sustaining Research Data Services, Margaret E. Henderson

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Examining The Pieces: Usability Testing To Improve Outreach To Unaffiliated Health Professionals, Emily J. Hurst, Irene Lubker, Barbara A. Wright

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Objectives: In order to better address the information needs of unaffiliated public health and primary care professionals, librarians undertook a project to strengthen usability and refine the content of a freely available website maintained by the library. Collaboration with an advisory committee of local and state health care professionals allowed librarians to schedule focus groups and usability testing with diverse groups.

Methods: While a freely available, library maintained website had a long history, usability testing had not been done after a platform upgrade. Outside funding provided library staff with resources to engage with community groups focused on supporting public health …

Providing Support For An Interdisciplinary Research Group With A Multidisciplinary Informationist Team: Is It Effective?, Margaret Henderson, Karen Gau, Julie A. Arendt, Martha Roseberry, John Cyrus

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Background

Three subject librarians and a data librarian, representing three departments and two libraries at a university, were awarded an NLM Informationist Supplement to support an interdisciplinary Research Group with an NIH grant. The Informationist Team developed a model to utilize the skills of multiple librarians to support the increasing number of interdisciplinary and interprofessional research groups at the university. Librarians routinely attended lab meetings and shared notes with each other to monitor researcher needs.

Methods

The Informationist Team regularly provided support for literature searches, creating search alerts, bibliographic citation management and sharing, and data management to an interdisciplinary Research …

Like A Boss: Moving From The Front Lines Into Middle Management, Megan Hodge, Nicole Spoor, Cassidy Sheehan

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Can an academic librarian who has only worked on the front lines compete with those who have supervisory experience for middle management positions? What traits are hiring committees looking for in middle managers for public services, especially in applicants with no prior supervisory experience? While the literature does provide tips and advice for new managers, as yet there are no studies examining what hiring committees look for in middle management applicants.

This study has taken a three-pronged approach to data collection: a qualitative study consisting of interviews with academic librarians who have served on hiring committees for middle-management positions, and …

Ready, Set, Network! Research Speed Networking For Clinicians, Scientists And Engineers, Pamela M. Dillon, Karen H. Gau

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Objectives: A 2013 Institute of Medicine report urged researchers to “engage in additional substantive and productive collaborations” to address important clinical/translational science questions. To encourage team science among our researchers, Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences and Center for Clinical and Translational Research hosted a speed networking event, specifically targeting engineers, clinicians, and basic scientists; an analysis of the event is below.

Methods: Invitations were distributed to clinicians, engineers, and basic scientists. To maximize interactions without increasing time spent at the event, researchers were divided into three groups. The event was planned such that each group would meet everyone from …

A High-P/Low-P Procedure To Improve Recall Memory In Elderly Patients With Mild To Moderate Cognitive Impairment, Dawn Amber Seefeldt, Daniel Houlihan, Jeffrey Buchanan

Psychology Department Publications

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of implementing two types of high-probability of naming/low-probability of naming procedures to improve object recall memory in elderly individuals with cognitive impairment. The procedures involved the use of directives for recall compliance with a demonstrated high rate of compliance followed by embedded directives with a demonstrated low rate of recall. Two elderly subjects in states of cognitive decline were used in this demonstration. Results indicated positive outcomes with both procedures. Recall-based interventions were more effective than recognition-based procedures.

The New Digital Media Value Network: Proposing An Interactive Model Of Digital Media Value Activities, Sylvia Chan-Olmsted, Ronen Shay

Media and Communication Faculty/Staff Publications

This study models the dynamic nature of today’s media markets using the framework of value-adding activities in the provision and consumption of media products. The proposed user-centric approach introduces the notion that the actions of external users, social media, and interfaces affect the internal value activities of media firms via a feedback loop, and therefore should themselves be considered value activities. The model also suggests a more comprehensive list of indicators for value assessment.

Limited Time: Meeting Judge Expectations And Pedagogical Standards In Rhetorical Criticism, Jessica Benham

National Forensic Journal

Since the creation of Communication Analysis/Rhetorical Criticism as an event in competitive college forensics, forensic research has critiqued the depth of analysis in Communication Analysis/Rhetorical Criticism speeches, with many arguing that effective analysis was impossible due to the ten-minute time limit. Considering this criticism, spanning three decades, I argue time has come for an increase to the time limit, allowing students to more effectively analyze artifacts, to better understand the methodology they employ, and to make changes to the structure of their speeches in response to the critiques of other scholars. Such a change would increase the educational impact of …

Editors' Note, R. Randolph Richardson, Kathy Brittain Richardson

National Forensic Journal

No abstract provided.

The Teaching Of Creativity: Process, Product, Environment, And Assessment, Todd T. Holm

National Forensic Journal

Teaching creativity is an issue gaining more attention. Businesses and universities alike are looking for ways to promote creative and innovative thinking. As universities look for ways to teach and assess creativity, interscholastic speech and debate competition should be held up as a model for such efforts. Through a combination of iterative performances, the mastering of domain knowledge, an environment that encourages/rewards creativity, and feedback based on the Consensual Assessment Technique, forensics offers an ideal environment for students to learn the process of developing creative products.

Volume 34 - Full Volume, Nfa Journal

National Forensic Journal

No abstract provided.

Machito And His Afro-Cubans: Selected Transcriptions, Paul Austerlitz, Jere Laukkanen

Gettysburg College Faculty Books

Machito (Francisco Raúl Grillo, 1909–1984) was born into a musical family in Havana, Cuba, and was already an experienced vocalist when he arrived in New York City in 1937. In 1940 he teamed up with his brother-in-law, the Cuban trumpeter Mario Bauzá (1911–1993), who had already made a name for himself with top African American swing bands such as those of Chick Webb and Cab Calloway. Together, Machito and Bauzá formed Machito and his Afro-Cubans. With Bauzá as musical director, the band forged vital pan-African connections by fusing Afro-Cuban rhythms with modern jazz and by collaborating with major figures in …

Terrorist Experts’ Perceptions Of How The Internet Has Shaped International Terrorism, Samuel F. Wilson Ii, Teresa M. Lao Ph.D., Ernesto Escobedo Dr.

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

The use of the Internet by terrorists has greatly contributed to international terrorism. The Internet is a main strategic communication asset for terrorists who use online message boards and chat rooms to share information, coordinate attacks, spread propaganda, raise money, and recruit. The Internet gives terrorists a medium to legitimize, propagate, and intimidate citizens to their cause. Their strategies are based on careful analysis of human communications; thus, messages are adapted and carefully delivered to appeal to people who may need something to believe in. This study bridged the gap in knowledge by exploring, understanding, and explaining the perceptions of …

Law Enforcement Officers' Experiences Of Exposure To Trauma, Michelle B. Nirenberg, Robyn Trippany-Simmons, Tiffany C. Rush-Wilson

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

Violent, traumatic, and stressful work situations are common for law enforcement officers (LEOs). LEOs are susceptible to stressful situations that impact their emotions and have the ability to affect job performance. This phenomenological study focused on identification of how traumatic incidents affected 10 LEOs from 2 rural law enforcement agencies from a rural community in the southeastern United States. Participants were interviewed regarding the experience of how encountering or witnessing traumatic events impacted their emotions during and after the incident, coping mechanisms they implemented, views on seeking mental health treatment, and importance of peer support. Findings indicated that LEOs expressed …

Modeling Postpartum Depression In Rats: Theoretic And Methodological Issues, Ming Li, Shinn-Yi Chou

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The postpartum period is when a host of changes occur at molecular, cellular, physiological and behavioral levels to prepare female humans for the challenge of maternity. Alteration or prevention of these normal adaptions is thought to contribute to disruptions of emotion regulation, motivation and cognitive abilities that underlie postpartum mental disorders, such as postpartum depression. Despite the high incidence of this disorder, and the detrimental consequences for both mother and child, its etiology and related neurobiological mechanisms remain poorly understood, partially due to the lack of appropriate animal models. In recent decades, there have been a number of attempts to …

The Domain Specificity Of Intertemporal Choice In Pinyon Jays, Jeffrey R. Stevens, Bryce Kennedy, Dina Morales, Marianna Burks

Jeffrey Stevens Publications

When choosing between a piece of cake now versus a slimmer waistline in the future, many of us have difficulty with self-control. Food-caching species, however, regularly hide food for later recovery, sometimes waiting months before retrieving their caches. It remains unclear whether these long-term choices generalize outside of the caching domain. We hypothesized that the ability to save for the future is a general tendency that cuts across different situations. To test this hypothesis, we measured and experimentally manipulated caching to evaluate its relationship with operant measures of self-control in pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus). We found no correlation …

The Financial Power Of The Powerless: Socio-Economic Status And Interest Rates Under Weak Rule Of Law, Timur Kuran, Jared Rubin

ESI Publications

In advanced economies interest rates vary inversely with the borrower's socio-economic status, which itself depends inversely on default risk. These relationships depend on the impartiality of the law. Where the law is markedly biased in favour of certain groups, the latter will pay a surcharge for capital. Legal power, as measured by privileges before the law, thus undermines financial power, the capacity to borrow cheaply. Developing this argument, this paper also tests it through judicial records from Ottoman Istanbul, 1602-1799. Three privileged Ottoman groups—men, Muslims, and titled elites—all paid relatively high interest rates conditional on various loan characteristics.

Open Access Papers Have A Greater Citation Advantage In The Author-Pays Model Compared To Toll Access Papers In Springer And Elsevier Open Access Journals, Elaine Sullo

Himmelfarb Library Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Don't Ask For Fair Treatment? A Gender Analysis Of Ethnic Discrimination, Response To Discrimination, And Self-Rated Health Among Marriage Migrants In South Korea., Yugyun Kim, Inseo Son, Dainn Wie, Carles Muntaner, Hyunwoo Kim, Seung-Sup Kim

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Ethnic discrimination is increasingly common nowadays in South Korea with the influx of migrants. Despite the growing body of evidences suggests that ethnic discrimination negatively impacts health, only few researches have been conducted on the association between ethnic discrimination and health outcomes among marriage migrants in Korea. This study sought to examine how ethnic discrimination and response to the discrimination are related to self-rated health and whether the association differs by victim's gender.

METHODS: We conducted two-step analysis using cross-sectional dataset from the 'National Survey of Multicultural Families 2012'. First, we examined the association between perceived ethnic discrimination and …

De-Westernizing Public Relations: A Comparative Analysis Of Culture And Economics Structure In China And Mexico, César García

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Arts and Humanities

The main purpose of this article is to challenge the normative ideal of public relations, usually shaped by a Western perspective, highlighting there is a broad typology of non-Western PR models, which are the norm across the world. This article emphasizes how public relations principles of excellence are not only exceptionally met but also suggests that Western public relations can learn from the rest of the world about, for example, how personal relations can enrich the profession. Using a qualitative method, this paper compares two populated countries with large economies, China and Mexico. The main finding of the article is …

Professor Studies Invasive Species In Africa, Nicole Nelson

The Scope

James Vonesh, an associate professor of biology at VCU, recently returned from South Africa, where he focused on an invasive species of frog. His research question: Why do certain species flourish in a new environment while others do not?

Project Tracks Veterans’ Brain Injuries, Riley Murtagh

The Scope

About 20 percent of veterans who fought in the Iraq War sustained concussions. Of soldiers who received head trauma, about 8 percent continue to have symptoms, says Dr. David Cifu, chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the VCU School of Medicine. “We need to understand how they’re going to do in terms of those symptoms.”

Many College Students Abuse Alcohol And Adderall, Vanessa Gleiser

The Scope

VCU Counseling Services has seen the gamut of substance abuse problems experienced by college students. “Alcohol is the most abused substance,” says Kristen Kidd Donovan, one of the counselors. Some students also abuse Adderall, which can have serious health consequences.