Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Songbird’S Winter Grounds Face Environmental Threats, Kirby Farineau

The Scope

VCU graduate biology student Jessica Reese has documented the environmental threats facing the prothonotary warbler. Development has depleted the mangrove forests of Panama and Colombia where these gray and yellow songbirds spend the winter months.

Commercial Drone Research Takes Off At Vcu, Joe Forcier

The Scope

As microprocessors and mounted cameras have become smaller, unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, have skyrocketed in popularity. But UAVs aren’t just child’s play. Researchers at VCU say the devices could be used in a range of beneficial ways, from inspecting bridges and searching for lost hikers to shooting documentaries and surveying land.

Why Can’T They All Be Best In Class?, Malik Hall

The Scope

Researchers at VCU and the University of Florida are developing positive-reinforcement intervention techniques to address problem behavior that may be more prevalent among schoolchildren from low-income homes. The research has an appropriate name: Best in Class.

Glove’S A Perfect Fit For Patients With Raynaud’S Disease, Riley Murtagh

The Scope

For a senior project, VCU engineering student Jessica Bishop wanted to help people like herself who suffer from Raynaud’s disease, which constricts blood flow in fingers and other extremities exposed to cold environments or stress. So she invented a pair of “magic gloves” that regulate hand temperature in cold environments.

Bah Humbug: Unexpected Christmas Cards And The Reciprocity Norm, Brian P. Meier

Psychology Faculty Publications

The reciprocity norm refers to the expectation that people will help those who helped them. A well-known study revealed that the norm is strong with Christmas cards, with 20% of people reciprocating a Christmas card received from a stranger. I attempted to conceptually replicate and extend this effect. In Study 1, 755 participants received a Christmas card supposedly from a more- versus less-similar stranger. The reciprocation rate was unexpectedly low (2%), which did not allow for a test of a similarity effect. Two potential reasons for this low rate were examined in Study 2 in which 494 participants reported their …

Part 1: Life In The Slower Lane: The Hampton Roads Economy, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Our regional economy is on track in 2016 to record a “real” (after inflation) economic growth rate of only 1.20 percent – well below our 2.60 percent average economic growth rate over the past 30 years. We have yet to recover all of the jobs we lost in the Great Recession. The outlook for 2017 is not much better.

Part 2: The Hotel Industry: The United States, Virginia, And Hampton Roads, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Since 2000, hotel revenue as a percentage of personal income has declined in Virginia and Hampton Roads. Declining federal spending is the primary reason.

Part 3: Prisons And Prisoners: The Virginia Way And The Alternatives, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Virginia imprisons large numbers of people; this is expensive. Economic analysis suggests that we would save money if we did not imprison so many people, redefined what constitutes a felony and gave more attention to preparing prisoners for re-entry into society.

Part 4: The Rise Of Single-Earner Households In Virginia: Why It Matters, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Almost one-third of all households in Hampton Roads are “nonfamily,” in the sense that they are not headed by two married individuals. More than 40 percent of all births now occur out of wedlock and the number of older single people has skyrocketed. Both public and private programs and policies have not kept pace with these developments and are in need of revision.

Part 5: The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender And Queer Community In Hampton Roads, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

A 2012-2014 Gallup Poll reported that 4.4 percent of the population of Hampton Roads is LGBTQ in orientation. Available data suggest that LGBTQ women fare relatively better economically speaking than LGBTQ men. Norfolk and Virginia Beach are viewed as the region’s friendliest cities for members of the LGBTQ community.

Part 6: Will Robots Take Your Job? A Look At Virginia's Opportunities And Vulnerabilities, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

A recent study suggested that 47 percent of all jobs in the United States are at risk of being eliminated by automation. The jobs most vulnerable are those that involve repetitive tasks and relatively little judgment. Those holding these jobs can be replaced by robots or machines utilizing artificial intelligence.

Part 7: Traffic Congestion In Hampton Roads: Myths And Realities, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Sixty-five percent of job holders in Hampton Roads cross a city or county boundary when they go to work. Many encounter traffic congestion as they do so, but the level of this congestion has increased only modestly in recent years. Major road improvements seldom change this situation very much because drivers soon redistribute themselves in response to the improvements.

Updated Tables And Figures For Ec 844 Nebraska Wheat Prices And Basis Patterns, Cory Walters, Jessica J. Groskopf

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

No abstract provided.

Updated Tables And Figures For Ec 846 Nebraska Cash Corn Prices And Basis Patterns, Cory Walters, Jessica J. Groskopf

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

No abstract provided.

Transitioning To Open Educational Resources, Erin Davis, Becky Thoms

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Cost Of Living, Healthy Food Acquisition, And The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Sanjay Basu, Christopher Wimer, Hilary K. Seligman

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

We tested the hypothesis that high costs of living, such as from high housing rents, reduce the healthfulness of food acquisitions. Using the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (2012-13), we examined the relationships between cost of living and food acquisition patterns among both SNAP participants and non-participants (N = 5,414 individuals from households participating in SNAP, 3,863 individuals from non-participating households <185% of the federal poverty threshold, and 5,036 individuals from non-participating households >185% of the federal poverty threshold). Indices for cost of living included county-level Regional Price Parities for major classes of expenditures and the geographic adjustment to the Supplemental Poverty Measure, which is based on rent prices. We …

Cultural Orientation And Its Associations With Alcohol Use By University Students In China, Shiyuan Wang, Ian Newman, Duane F. Shell

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Cultural orientation is defined as an individual's cultural preferences when encountering imported culture while still living in the native culture. Data was analyzed from 1305 Chinese university students attending universities in Beijing, Kunming, and Wuhan. Cultural orientation was assessed with the Chinese Cultural Orientation Questionnaire, which assesses both Western and Traditional Chinese cultural orientations. The analysis used hierarchical logistic regression with nondrinkers as the reference group and controlling for demographic factors (age, gender, and urban/rural background). Western cultural orientation was found to significantly increase the odds of recent drinking. The results indicated that higher Western cultural orientation was, after gender, …

2016 Constitution Day Essay Contest: Honorable Mention, Shawn Murphy

Constitution Day Essay Contest

No abstract provided.

Buying Sex On-Line From Girls: Ngo Representatives, Law Enforcement Officials, And Public Officials Speak Out About Human Trafficking—A Qualitative Analysis, Sriyani Tidball, Mingying Zheng, John W. Creswell

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Federal agencies report the high level of sex trafficking of minors in the United States. This trafficking often occurs on-line with the Internet. Pimps commonly advertise children for sexual exploitation online, and they search social networking sites for young victims. Thus, the high rate of trafficking minors and the increased use of technology have led to a need to better understand purchasing young girls for sex on-line. This qualitative study focused on learning from NGO representatives, law enforcement officials, and public officials their experiences about how men buy girls on-line for sex, and the words that the men use in …

Mindfulness And Executive Function: Examining The Impact Of The Mindup Curriculum On First Graders' Executive Functioning, Lauren A. Barker, Tasha L. Banks

Doctoral Research Project

No abstract provided.

Job Satisfaction Among Illinois School Psychologists, Nicole Billings, Noni Coleman, Marian Gandy, Rhonda Rutherford

Doctoral Research Project

No abstract provided.

A Mixed-Methods Study Of Academic Achievement And Parental Perspectives In A Dual Language Program, Nicole Folsom

Doctoral Research Project

No abstract provided.

لتحليل الاقتصادي للنفقات الاستثمارية والتشغيلية لمحافظة ذي قار للمدة ( 2006 – 2014 ), علي كاظم هلال

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

المستخلص : تعد هذه الدراسة كاشفة لطبيعة وحجم الانفاق الاستثماري والتشغيلي لديوان محافظة ذي قار ومجلس المحافظة للمدة ( 2014 – 2006 ) . اذ كشفت الدراسة وجود هدراً كبيراً في النفقات الاستثمارية دون تحقيق انجاز حقيقي على أرض الواقع ، اذ بلغت النفقات الاستثمارية للمدة المذكورة ( 2.050.005 ) ترليون دينار ، وهذا المبلغ لو انفق على مشاريع حقيقية ومدروسة يمكن ان ينقل المحافظة من حالة التخلف الى حالة النمو والتقدم . وبينت الدراسة حجم الهدر الكبير في الموارد المالية والتبذير والفساد على مشاريع غير أساسية وقصيرة الاجل وكثيرة العدد بدلاً من التركيز على المشاريع الاستراتيجية كبناء المدارس ومحطات …

Secrets Of A Head Chef: Exploring Factors Influencing Success In Irish Kitchens, Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire, Hannah Allen

Articles

One-hundred and seventy head chefs from the Republic of Ireland scored 59 variables for success on two scales: (a) competencies needed for success (NS), and (b) personal ownership of these competencies (PO). Results showed that variables were rated with means of 1.18 (extremely important) to 3.23 (moderately important). The top three were an ability to work hard, commitment to quality, and knowledge of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). Variables rated lower in ownership than importance highlight areas for culinary educators to develop training programs. Average wages of head chefs (objective success) mirror the average industrial wage, but higher …

Recruitment, Retention And Socialization Of Underrepresented Minority Populations To West Virginia Higher Education Administrative Positions, Dedriell Dewin Taylor

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study contributed to the body of knowledge dealing with recruitment, retention and socialization of underrepresented (UREP) minority populations for academic leadership positions in West Virginia higher education. The purpose of the study was to examine both the institutional and personal factors that are most effective in attracting members of UREP minority groups to administrative leadership positions at institutions of higher education, specifically higher education institutions in West Virginia. The study was conducted using a mixed method research approach consisting of a non-experimental research design in the quantitative phase of the study and individual interviews in the qualitative phase.

Gamer Girls: Navigating A Subculture Of Gender Inequality, Robert L. Harrison, Jenna M. Drenten, Nicholas Pendarvis

School of Business: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Purpose

Video gaming, which remains culturally embedded in masculine ideals, is increasingly becoming a leisure activity for female consumers. Guided by social dominance theory, this paper examines how female gamers navigate the masculine-oriented gaming consumption context.

Methodology/approach

Eight avid female gamers (ages 20–29) participated in-depth interviews, following a phenomenological approach to better understand their lived experiences with video gaming. Data were analyzed using phenomenological procedures.

Findings

Findings reveal an undercurrent of gender-based consumer vulnerability, driven by stereotypical perceptions of “gamer girls” in the masculine-oriented gaming subculture. Further, the findings highlight the multilayered, multidimensional nature of gaming as a vulnerable consumption …

Understanding Roles And Responsibilities Of Data Curators: An International Perspective, Anna Maria Tammaro, Krystyna K. Matusiak, Frank Andreas Sposito, Ana Pervan, Vittore Casarosa

Library and Information Science: Faculty Scholarship

Data curation has emerged as a new area of responsibility for researchers, librarians, and information professionals in the digital library environment. This paper presents the preliminary findings of a large research project sponsored by the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), under the auspices of its Library Theory and Research (LTR) Section. The primary objective of the project is to identify the characteristic tasks and responsibilities of data curators in both international and interdisciplinary contexts. The ultimate objective, however, is to develop a “data curation ontology” that will better define the profession and support the development of educational curricula to …

Sexual Minority (Lgbtq) Youth And Role Of Health Care Provider, Mandakini Sadhir, Stephanie J. Stockburger, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Adolescence is a time period of physical, psychological and cognitive changes. It is an important phase for an individual to discover who they really are (self-identity), how they are perceived (social identity) and how they fit into the environment they live in.¹ One of the major tasks of adolescence is sexual maturation and sexual and /or gender identity development.² Adolescents who are developing as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender face a tremendous challenge of establishing their identity which is often complex.³ They cope with the feelings of being different and are in constant dilemmas about revealing their …

Species Identification Of Golden And Bald Eagle Talons Using Morphometrics, Avery J. Appleton, R. Christopher O'Brien, Pepper W. Trail

Forensic Science Publications

The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are the largest avian predators in North America, and are thus species of great ecological importance and cultural significance. There is a long history of human use of eagle body parts, and this use continues today: Bald and Golden eagles are among the North American birds most affected by the illegal wildlife trade. Detached eagle talons are often recovered in both law enforcement and archaeological contexts, but data to allow morphological identification of these talons have been lacking. This study documents measureable differences in the morphology of Bald Eagle and …

Screening Of Exosomal Micrornas From Colorectal Cancer Cells, Cillian Clancy, Sonja Khan, Claire L. Glynn, Emma Holian, Peter Dockery, Pierce Lalor, James A.L. Brown, Myles Joyce, Michael J. Kerin, Roisin M. Dwyer

Forensic Science Publications

BACKGROUND: Cells release extracellular membrane vesicles including microvesicles known as exosomes. Exosomes contain microRNAs (miRNAs) however the full range within colorectal cancer cell secreted exosomes is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To identify the full range of exosome encapsulated miRNAs secreted from 2 colorectal cancer cell lines and to investigate engineering of exosomes over-expressing miRNAs. METHODS: Exosomes were isolated from HCT-116 and HT-29 cell lines. RNA was extracted from exosomes and microRNA array performed. Cells were engineered to express miR-379 (HCT-116-379) or a non-targeting control (HCT-116-NTC) and functional effects were determined. Exosomes secreted by engineered cells were transferred to recipient cells and the …