Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Basic Aerodynamics And Flight Characteristics In Discus Throwing, Andreas Maheras

Track and Field Faculty Publications

The discus is an extremely aerodynamic implement (Hubbard, 2000). This implies that, under certain conditions, the distance thrown can be increased or decreased significantly beyond or below to that expected in a vacuum or in still air.

Optimizing Workforce Performance: Perceived Differences Of Army Officer Critical Thinking Talent Across Level Of Education, Richard B. Ayers

Dissertations

The U.S. Army’s operating environment continues to become increasingly complex and unpredictable, where U.S. technological advantage continues to erode. The complexities stem from the Army’s doctrinal assumption that the future operating environment is unknown and constantly changing (Department of the Army [DA], 2014a). Diminishing technological advantage results in more reliance on soldiers’ cognitive capability, and less on high technology weapons systems (McMaster, 2015).

A review of military literature shows extensive research on the importance of Army leaders to be talented critical thinkers (Fischer, Spiker, & Riedel, 2008, 2009; Gerras, 2008; Thomas & Gentzler, 2013). Human capital literature reveals many college …

Suffering In Silence: Investigating The Role Of Fear In The Relationship Between Abusive Supervision And Defensive Silence, Christian Kiewitz, Simon Lloyd D. Restubog, Mindy K. Shoss, Patrick Raymund James M. Garcia, Robert L. Tang

Management and Marketing Faculty Publications

Drawing from an approach-avoidance perspective, we examine the relationships between subordinates’ perceptions of abusive supervision, fear, defensive silence, and ultimately abusive supervision at a later time point. We also account for the effects of subordinates’ assertiveness and individual perceptions of a climate of fear on these predicted mediated relationships. We test this moderated mediation model with data from three studies involving different sources collected across various measurement periods. Results corroborated our predictions by showing (a) a significant association between abusive supervision and subordinates’ fear, (b) second-stage moderation effects of subordinates’ assertiveness and their individual perceptions of a climate of fear …

The Mediational Effect Of Emotional Regulation On The Relationship Between Attachment Styles Of Sexual Behaviors, Angelica Monique Zapata

Graduate Theses

Recent research studies have been aimed at examining the associations between attachment styles and sexual protective health behaviors (Mikulincer, Shavpr & Pereg, 2003). However, researchers have just recently started to explore how emotional regulation skills influence interactions between couples. The current study is interested m how emotional regulation is connected to attachment style and sexual health attitudes and behaviors. The proposed study utilizes attachment style to explain how individuals view others, which then may influence their sexual health behaviors. Furthermore, when an individual possesses high emotional regulation skills, they may be better able to mediate ones’ own decisions to influence …

Determining The Optimal Combination Of Lifting Method And Intensity For Power Production During The Hang Clean 2016, Thomas P. Murray

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal combination of lifting method and load intensity for power production during the hang clean. Twenty college students (18 male, 2 female) performed one set of three repetitions of the hang clean at four different intensities for each method while standing on a force platform embedded in the floor. Intensities were set at 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% 1RM and the methods tested were Contact, where the participant maintained contact with the force platform throughout the lift, and Jump, where the participant jumped through the pull phase of the lift and …

Social And Scientific Implications Of Genetic Testing In The Digital Age, Yaruska A. Ordinola

Senior Honors Projects

From Mendel’s law of inheritance in the 19th century through Watson and Crick’s revolutionary observations of the double helix in the 20th century, genetics has been a fascinating and continuing topic of discussion in the field of science (Collins & McKusick, 2001). Major studies like the Human Genome Project (HGP), initiated in 1990 and completed in 2003, provided a starting point from which scientists could more thoroughly investigate the human condition on a genetic level. Arising from this study, personal genomics is considered a blooming field in genetics- in which rapidly developing technological advances are able to provide easier and …

Inequality And Financialization, Oscar C. Soons

Senior Honors Projects

This paper analyzes economic inequality in the United States and makes a connection between rising inequality and “Financialization” since the 1970’s. I provide an overview of how and why income and wealth inequality have changed over time. The increase in inequality since the 1970’s is correlated with an increase in Financialization, measured by a Financialization index that I created. Financialization, defined as the increasing size, power and influence of the financial sector in the economy and politics, has changed the economic and political landscape in the United States in a way that increases economic inequality.

Relationships Between Social Media Exposure & Levels Of Body Dissatisfaction, Helen Nguyen, Andrea L. Paiva

Senior Honors Projects

The digital age has resulted in major technological inventions leading to great advances; however there are also clear costs. Television allows identical picture images to be broadcasted into millions of homes, the internet is a gateway to seemingly limitless information, and the cell phone is the ultimate connection device. Each of these communication modalities have spread the thinness ideal that is prevalent in Western societies, with the Internet being ridden with pro-eating disorder websites, cell phones providing handheld excess to peer- comparison, and all mediums presenting images of the thin body as ideal. The prevalence of eating disorders is still …

Counseling Perpetrators Of Violence: Applying The Invitational Approach To Male Professional Ice Hockey Players, Barbara Katic

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Aggression and violence are common characteristics of professional ice hockey games. While hockey players are encouraged to be aggressive on-ice, these behaviors are not welcomed off the ice. Instances of athlete aggression occurring outside the context of professional sporting events have been documented, particularly within interpersonal relationships. In order to address this issue, the process of counseling professional male ice hockey players must be considered. The invitational approach, as outlined by Alan Jenkins, can be used to take into account the contradictions of violence and aggression in professional sporting contexts. Rather than label perpetrators of abuse with psychological shortcomings, invitational …

Diagnoses By Gender: The Consequences Of Treatment Of The Mentally Ill In Virginia Woolf's The Waves And Mrs. Dalloway 2016, Erika Nichole Jackson

Master's Theses

“Insanity is purely a disease of the brain…The physician is now the responsible guardian of the lunatic, and must ever remain so.” Sir John Charles Bucknill (1897)

Mental illness has consistently been and continues to be a subject that is viewed as taboo by society, especially when it comes to diagnosing a patient. Instead of acknowledging a person’s actions, thoughts, and words, society continually disregards mental illness as something that is negative and to be feared. The fact that this area of medicine can be difficult and distressing makes it all the more important to continue research. It is true …

Nuclear Power Plant Policy Comparison Between The U.S. And Republic Of Korea, Vara Ha

Sustainability and Social Justice

Five years after the Fukushima accident, people and countries still argue about the opportunity costs of denuclearization. While nuclear power generation has safety and waste issues, it is carbon free. Climate change has created more pressure for greenhouse gas reduction, so a few countries have decided to maintain or even increase nuclear power generation. The United States ranks first for using nuclear power produced by electricity generation, while the Republic of Korea, the closest country in proximity to Japan, ranks fourth in countries that use nuclear power. In fact, Korea even rapidly increased nuclear business after the Fukushima accident. Despite …

Creating Value In The Voluntary Carbon Market: Opportunities For Small-Scale Coffee Producers In Latin America To Access Carbon Capital., Ruby Woodside

Sustainability and Social Justice

Agroforestry producers have not participated on a large-scale in carbon markets. This paper assesses the potential for small-scale coffee producers to access the voluntary carbon market. A review of the current market including standards, trends, and how value is created is followed by an overview of Latin American coffee production. Drawing on tools from the conceptual framework of global production networks I explore how coffee producers can benefit from the development of carbon credits. Current carbon credit projects under development with coffee producers are considered, and one case study presented. The tools and conditions necessary for full access to carbon …

An Analysis Of The Intercultural Bilingual Education (Ibe) Of The Indigenous Communities In The Peruvian Amazon, Rubi Rojas Vasquez

Sustainability and Social Justice

Peru is a multicultural and multilingual country. Through the Peruvian history, there has been a marginalization of indigenous peoples. For instance, this marginalization has been represented in their educational policies. For that reason, the program of Intercultural Bilingual Education (IBE) should be a bridge of integration of all the different cultures in Peru. In order to analyze the reality of the program, there is an explanation of the theoretical concepts of intercultural and bilingual, as well as, the definition of indigenous and the international law that protects them and how the government considers them in their policies. I believe that …

Including Men And Boys In Programming Of Violence Against Women And Girls: A Case Study Of The Safe Schools Program In Ghana And Stepping Stones Program In Uganda, Nana A. Ampofo

Sustainability and Social Justice

Violence against women and girls and its potential solutions increasingly garner international attention in the media and find themselves at the center of development agency portfolios. Program interventions aimed at eradicating violence against women and girls must create solutions that examine the socio-cultural values and normative expectations that boys and girls, men, and women place on one another. Many scholars argue that changing social norms or beliefs is an inter-generational process, as they are entrenched in and reproduced through social institutions such as the family, schools and religion (Enloe, 2013). Over the past decade, scholars and practitioners have noted violence …

Infrastructure And Exclusion: Roadbuilding, Extractive Industries And Environmental Degradation In The Case Of Iirsa Sur Through Southern Peru, Kimberly S. Farias

Sustainability and Social Justice

This paper considers the case of the Southern Interoceanic Highway, a major transportation corridor linking the Atlantic and pacific coasts through Southern Peru under the auspices of the Initiative for Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA). The highway has raised significant social and environmental issues, including concern around the lack of mitigation planning on the part of the Peruvian government as well as the exclusion of civil society from participating in a review of the project. Based on GIS mapping of this highway and secondary research this paper finds that unprecedented migration into the region has contributed to an increase …

Hydro-Raking As A Management Option For Aquatic Non-Native Invasive And Native Nuisance Plants In Freshwater Ponds And Lakes: Case Studies In Massachusetts, Danielle L. Desmarais

Sustainability and Social Justice

Hydro-raking is one management option to control non-native invasive and native nuisance plants in freshwater ponds and lakes in Massachusetts. The hydro-rake is a floating pontoon boat with paddlewheels and a long, giant rake that scoops plants from pond or lake bottoms. Analyzing eight case studies in Massachusetts where hydro-raking occurred, this thesis provides a comprehensive overview of when the process would be recommended or not. The results, displayed in a decision tree guide the reader through questions to test for suitability of the water body they manage. The water level needs to be between one and twelve feet, and …

Conservation Planning And Decision Support In A Nonprofit Organization: A Summer Internship With Natureserve, Samantha Coccia

Sustainability and Social Justice

This report is an account of my internship spent with NatureServe, a nonprofit Conservation organization that provides detailed scientific data used in conservation decisions made across the Americas. NatureServe works with a network for natural heritage programs and is made up of four regional offices with headquarters in Arlington, VA. I spent my summer in their Boulder, CO location in the Conservation Planning and Decision Support Department under the guidance of Dr. Patrick Crist. I was offered my choice of two projects to work on, and was also offered a continuation of my internship with additional responsibilities given. Throughout the …

Mobile Health And Its Role In Addressing Maternal Health In Sub-Saharan Africa, Tarikwa M. Leveille

Sustainability and Social Justice

ABSTRACT Background: In the last 10-15 years, mobile health (mHealth) interventions have generated considerable interest as tools for sustainable development in the global health sector as well as to improve access to care for remotely isolated populations in Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper explores existing literature on mHealth for clinical data collection for maternal health, discusses some of its benefits and challenges, and addresses mHealth’s limitations, such as 1) inadequate monitoring and evaluation framework; (2) inability for project scalability; and (3) lack of partnerships that are unsustainable and inclusive of all stakeholders. Although the healthcare sector acknowledges the potential benefits of …

The Influence Of Agriculture Policy: The Effects Of The Farm Bill On Farm Size, Crop Choice, And Trends In Agriculture, Emma Cotnoir

Sustainability and Social Justice

The agricultural sector in the United States is accounts for a large portion of the economy as well as environmental degradation, yet agricultural policy is often overlooked. This paper will look at one longstanding piece of legislation known as the Farm Bill, specifically the 2008 and 2014 versions, and the way the Commodity and Crop Insurance measures steer the industry. Secondary data was taken from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), along with peer reviewed journals and studies.

Trends would suggest that while other factors are involved, the Commodity subsidies encourage larger farms as well as a shift towards …

Land Change Modeler Application: Summer Internship With Clark Labs, Nan Ding, Siqi Cheng

Sustainability and Social Justice

This paper is a description of our internship with Clark Labs in the summer of 2015. We worked as research assistants in the Land Change Modeler Application (App) project. This project aimed to display the land cover changes in the United States from 2001 to 2010, show the vulnerability in 48 states and predict changes from the yaer 2050. Our responsibility was to extract eight variables (slope, elevation, surface water, roads, high intensity land, protected areas, county subdivisions, and cultivated crops) in TerrSet, and use them in several models to test the accuracy of prediction.

The internship is a great …

An Integrated Strategy For Strengthening Worcester's Regional Food System: Key Roles For Education And Information, Joel Simonson

Sustainability and Social Justice

Food security and access to healthy food are public health issues that continue to persist in the United States and are ones that are strongly influenced by social and environmental factors. In Worcester, Massachusetts there are many organizations that contribute to alleviating the resulting effects, but do not always have the capacity to reach full potential and expand upon current initiatives. Students can provide existing human resources and knowledge that would benefit all parties. This would allow for organizational capacity development, ultimately impacting local residents, and for students to gain deeper connections to the greater Worcester community while learning vital …

Can We Do It? : The Feasibility Of Youth Restorative Justice Implementation In Worcester, April M. Hooper

Sustainability and Social Justice

This paper addresses the feasibility of implementing a restorative justice process in the juvenile justice system in Worcester, Massachusetts from a community stakeholder perspective. Strengths, barriers, process, and collective will in Worcester were explored. Findings of this research include that while Worcester has many strengths, the barriers and lack of collective will may interfere with any immediate attempts to implement restorative justice processes within the local juvenile justice system. It concludes that while restorative justice approaches may be feasible in the longer term, current implementation is unlikely.

Refugee Youth Challenges And Unique Needs In Worcester Public Schools That Are Satisfied By African Community Education, Heidi L. Biron

Sustainability and Social Justice

The influx of refugee youth in United States challenges the structure of the US formal school system, as it struggles to manage the unique needs of refugee youth. This research explores African refugee youth needs in the formal school system in Worcester, MA, and how some of these needs are better supported in a supplementary education institution, African Community Education (ACE). The research draws on individual interviews and focus group discussions with refugee youth and ACE’s staff to analyze the complexities and challenges refugee youth are confronted within formal schools and how they are motivated to seek supplementary education. The …

Supporting Mentor Competency At African Community Education, Kelsey Renner

Sustainability and Social Justice

This practitioner paper focuses on the African Community Education (ACE) Mentoring for Empowerment and Exchange (MEE) in Worcester, Massachusetts and its ability to develop mentor competency in their volunteer mentors. In order to be effective mentors to their mentees, mentors need to be given tools to develop their own personal sense of competency via programmatic support like check-ins and trainings. Using interviews with mentors, literature in the field of mentoring, and program data, recommendations are made for ways ACE MEE program staff can enhance their programmatic structures to promote mentor competency and therefore develop high quality matches that support the …

Childhood Trauma, A Cycle Of Violence: Worcester, Ma, Samantha Arsenault

Sustainability and Social Justice

This research examines the relationship between childhood trauma, indicated by early police contact, and the probability of later negative life experiences, including involvement in and perpetration of violence, criminal activity and gang involvement for men age 0-27 in Worcester, MA. This research was conducted using probit and tobit regression analysis using the Worcester Police Dataset. This study shows a positive and highly statistically significant correlation between childhood trauma and gang involvement as well as involvement in violence, perpetration of violence, and the number of incidents of violence. This suggests that a crisis intervention for childhood trauma, including witness-based childhood trauma, …

A Partnership's Capacity For Community Impact Understood Through Neoliberal Technologies Of Risk And Responsibilization: A Look At Worcester Massachusetts Senator Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initative Partnership Worcester Massachusetts’ Senator Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative Partnership, Katie Byrne

Sustainability and Social Justice

Since 2006, the Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative has sought to reduce youth and gang violence in multiple Massachusetts cities through partnerships of community organizations, research institutions and police departments. Worcester, Massachusetts was an original recipient of Shannon funding due to its historic and increasing problem of youth and gang violence. Using a framework of governmentality, one of the ways crime is problematized and controlled is through the use of neoliberal technologies of risk and responsibilization, underscoring neoliberalism’s emphasis on personal responsibility. When risk is used to govern and assigned to individuals and groups of people living in …

From The Editor, Jeffrey Smith

The Confluence (2009-2020)

No abstract provided.

“Our Women And Children Cry For Food, And We Have No Food To Give Them”: The Environmental Dimensions Of Eastern Shoshone Dispossession, Adam R. Hodge

The Confluence (2009-2020)

No abstract provided.

Manifesting Anti-Expansionist Anxiety At New York’S American Art-Union: A Sociopolitical Interpretation Of George Caleb Bingham’S 1845 Paintings, The Concealed Enemy And Fur Traders Descending The Missouri, Joan Stack

The Confluence (2009-2020)

George Caleb Bingham was one of the few artists with a political career as well, serving in the Missouri legislature. In this article, Joan Stack interrogates a body of Bingham’s work in the context of the social and political atmosphere of antebellum Missouri.

Consequences Of Peaceful Actions: Political Decisions Of The Illinois Indians, 1778–1832, Gerald Rogers

The Confluence (2009-2020)

A series of political decisions led to the decimation of the Native American population in Illinois during its territorial and early statehood periods leading up to the final removal of tribes after Black Hawk’s War.