Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A City Room Of One's Own: Elizabeth Jordan, Henry James, And The New Woman Journalist, James Hunter Plummer

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis considers the portrayal of the female journalist in the works of Elizabeth Jordan and Henry James. In 1898, Jordan, a journalist and editor herself, published Tales of the City Room, a collection of interconnected short stories that depict a close and supportive community of female journalists. It is, overall, a positive portrayal of female journalists by a female journalist. James, on the other hand, uses the female journalists in The Portrait of a Lady, “Flickerbridge,” and “The Papers” to show his discomfort toward New Journalism and the New Woman of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. These …

Protests In The Post-Cold War Era: World Systems Dynamics And Hardship Effects In Post-Colonial Countries, Shawn M. Ratcliff

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this thesis, I explore the determinants of protests across 15 post-colonial countries from 1990 to 2010. Specifically, I investigate the direct and mediating impact of global economic dynamics and hardships experienced by populations in these countries. To that end, I employ world systems theory as well as relative deprivation and political opportunity theories. Analyses employ pooled-time series analysis based on national-level data from the Global Database of Events, Language, and Tone (GDELT), as well as data from the World Bank and the Polity IV project, which provide insight into the role of world systems dynamics on social unrest. Analyses …

Who Do You Know: Improving And Exploring The Network Scale-Up Method, Patrick Habecker

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine ways to improve and explore the network scale-up method (NSUM). This dissertation improved the NSUM by proposing a new mean of sums (MoS) estimation process, improving recursive back-estimation techniques, exploring how NSUM design changes effected estimates of personal network size, what predicts having larger personal networks, and the cognitive process used by participants taking a NSUM survey. Data was collected from an address-based survey (n=617) of Nebraskans conducted in 2014 and a series of cognitive interviews (n=19) conducted in 2016.

The MoS estimator better predicted the size of a target group than …

Not Infertile, Can’T Have Children: Non-Reproductive Health Barriers To A Wanted Child, Jennifer A. Andersen

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Non-reproductive health barriers to a wanted baby are an understudied population in the field of infertility research. This is a concern for fertility, public health, and family scholars as the lack of information can have affects the attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of couples with non-reproductive health barriers. Using the National Survey of Fertility Barriers (NSFB) and Survey Driven Narrative Construction, I was able to identify thirty-two women and their partners who have confronted a non-reproductive health barrier. These women did not self-identify and were grouped as such by the author. I found that the majority of the couples do not …

Exploring The Effect Of Encoding Modality And Rehearsal Strategy On Foreign Language Vocabulary Recall, Danielle R. Bestfelt

Undergraduate Theses

Experience with a foreign language is considered a valuable skill in workplace and school settings alike. However, recent studies in the field of psychology exploring the process of acquiring a second language have limited applicability, especially for adults with English as a first language. This study sought to explore the relation between encoding modality (auditory, visual, or visual and auditory; based on Baddeley’s model of working memory) and rehearsal strategy (active or passive, based on Craik and Lockhart’s Level of Processing approach and Roger’s Self-Reference Effect) in the recall of foreign language vocabulary words. Vocabulary words were the target information …

Media, Borders, And Citizenship: Internationalization And Social Justice In An Undergraduate Communication Program At A Public University In New England, Kristi Mientka

Capstone Collection

Higher education in the U.S. is becoming increasingly internationalized, a process which is necessitated by the global economy and the increase in communication and mobility across borders. The process of internationalization has many effects on institutions, programs, faculty, and students. It also has many purposes, among them to improve students’ future employability and to foster understanding of social issues. The communication discipline, which encompasses a variety of studies ranging from media production to interpersonal communication, has seen the effects of internationalization. Those effects are evident in evolving curriculum and pedagogy that reflect the shifting dynamics of the media landscape and …

Structural And Functional Neural Correlates Of A Mind-Body Connection., Leonard Faul

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

The human brain underlies the complex cognitive processes of the mind, however, this is dependent upon the physiological processes of the body in order to receive adequate energy, oxygen, and blood flow. Therefore, physical measurements such as body mass index (BMI) and indices of cognitive functioning, such as intelligence, may be related via common neural features. Current analyses assessed morphometric differences in cortical and subcortical grey matter regions, white matter structural integrity, and resting-state functional activation in order to determine what combinations of neural variables predict BMI and intelligence (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence; WASI) with the best degree of …

The Relationship Between Adhd And Emotion Regulation And Its Effect On Parenting Stress., Cibrian A. Johnson

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This study examined the relationship between ADHD diagnostic status and child-reported emotion regulation and its relationship with parenting stress within three subscales – Parent Distress, Difficult Child, and Parent-Child Dysfunctional interaction. Two hundred children ages 7-13 were enrolled in the study, including 120 children with ADHD and 80 children without ADHD. Overall, it was found that ADHD diagnostic status was significantly associated with the Parent Distress subscale, both ADHD diagnostic status and emotion regulation difficulties were significantly associated with the Difficult Child subscale, and emotion regulation difficulties were significantly associated with the Parent-Child Dysfunctional interaction subscale. This study not only …

The Policy And Personal Motivations Behind The Endorsement Of Donald Trump By Four Evangelical Endorsers., Benjamin F Hachten

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

When it comes to the political realm, evangelicals often support candidates whose moral values and stances on social issues align with their religious preferences. Given the coalitions between evangelical leaders and Republican politicians dating back to the late 1970s, the fact that evangelical leaders would endorse the Republican presidential candidate in the 2016 election cycle would not have been an issue of contention had that candidate not been Donald Trump, a man whose rhetoric and actions were, at times, antithetical to evangelical Christianity. Although many evangelical leaders denounced Trump and encouraged their supporters to do the same, some leaders of …

Nowhere To Go : Informal Settlement Eradication In Kigali, Rwanda., Emily E Benken

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Following the new world order of the post-Cold War era, the rise of developmentalism stressed the moral necessity of installing capitalist models of growth in the global south. The reproduction of narratives of modernity and teleological progression were reproduced in numerous African cities and actualized in policies related to urban development. The consequent trend of urbanization has been the systemic eradication of informal settlements and large-scale displacement to make way for modern, productive urban areas.

One site of this pattern is Kigali, Rwanda. Since the turn of the century, official “vision projects” released by the Rwandan government have reimagined the …

Attitudes, Perceptions, And Usage Of Electronic Cigarettes : An Exploratory Investigation., Elizabeth P Hart

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are increasing in popularity. Originally, e-cigs were marketed and sold primarily online, but now they are easily accessible in a variety of locations, such as specialty and convenience stores, retail outlets, as well as online. Despite the increasing popularity of these devices, little is known about the overall health effects of using e-cigs. Additionally, relatively few studies have explored users’ and non-users’ perceptions of and attitudes about the devices and their use. The primary objective of this study was to address that gap by examining perceptions of and attitudes about e-cigs from users and non-users. A questionnaire …

An Analysis Of Gentrification’S Effects On Lgbtq+ Populations In Louisville, Kentucky., Landon H. Lauder

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This study attempts to examine and the analyze the process of gentrification amongst identified LGBTQ+ spaces in Louisville, Kentucky from 1980 to present day using both production-side and consumption-side methods derived from property values and census data, respectively. Using these data, I trace the development of these spaces and determine what relationship to gentrification they may have. I then compare production-side data with consumption-side data to determine disparities amongst class in potential LGBTQ+ bar patrons in Louisville, Kentucky.

Cross-Cultural Investigation Of Birth Experience : A Comparison Between Mexico And The United States., Alice J Darling

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This study investigates the maternal birth experience through a cross-cultural lens. While the field of medical anthropology has researched birth practices of many cultures, few cross-cultural studies have been performed and no recent studies have suggested a transition in birthing. Ethnographic interviews with women and practitioners in Yucatán, Mexico and with women in Kentucky, United States allowed for a better understanding of the respective birthing environments. Grounded theory was then employed to develop a birth transition theory explaining changes occurring when society transitions from traditional birth practitioners to allopathic birth practitioners. The themes of knowledge, expectation and power were isolated …

Infants' Perception Of Faces In Face-Like And Ambiguous Images., Lauren E Dale

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Faces are special to infants. Infants look longer at faces than objects, human faces than non-human faces, and upright faces compared to inverted faces. The objective of this study was to see if infants demonstrated signs of pareidolia. Pareidolia is the ability to see a face in a non-face object, such as a face in a cloud. Previous research has shown that adults see faces in everyday objects, but less is known about infants' perception of such images. In the present study, infants 7-9 months old (N = 47) were tested. Infants were shown eight images, which adults had …

African Americans, Stem, And Entrepreneurship: A Study Of Factors That Influence African Americans To Pursue Entrepreneurship In Stem Fields, Zoranna Jones

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

Minority business entrepreneurship, specifically in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), provides multiple opportunities for innovation, job creation, high earning potential for underrepresented minorities, and for increasing the diversity of the U.S. workforce to reflect current population demographics. This study examines the educational backgrounds of high technology African American entrepreneurs and the factors of STEM programs that influence STEM-educated graduates to pursue high tech entrepreneurship. The research questions include, do STEM programs provide a link to high technology entrepreneurship? And, what STEM program factors are related to high technology entrepreneurship? The theoretical framework that informs the study …

Vocational And Life Skills Monthly Data Update: May 2017, Uno Nebraska Center For Justice Research, Johanna Peterson

Reports

Grantees use an online data management system to submit data on participants served under their Vocational and Life Skills programming. This data is due monthly and reflects all services provided during the previous month to participants. Evaluators at the Nebraska Center for Justice Research work with grantees directly to correct any data errors on an ongoing basis during monthly update calls and regular site visits.

Data presented below is from the most recent monthly data extract. Because this data comes for an active database with live data being entered and updated daily, data, including previously submitted information, may fluctuate depending …

Induced Emotions On Shoot Decisions, Audrey Kaye Snowden

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effect of emotion on shoot decision bias. Student participants from The University of Texas at Arlington were randomly assigned to one of five emotion induction conditions (angry, contemptuous, happy, sad, or neutral) where they wrote about an emotional experience and then participated in a first person shooter task. Initial results revealed no differences with emotion conditions on racial and shooter bias indices. Inspection of the components which make up racial and shooter bias unveiled partial racial and shooter bias. After comparing immigrants to Americans, it was found that immigrants did not …

Research Into Action: Skills Assessment And Training To Support A Digital Equity Action Plan, Cindy Gibbon, Jill Castek

Presentations and Publications

This presentation focuses on digital problem solving skills in libraries.

Clinician-Parent Discussions About Influenza Vaccination Of Children And Their Association With Vaccine Acceptance, Annika M. Hofstetter, Jeffrey D. Robinson, Katherine Lepere, Morgan Cunningham, Nicole Etsekson, Douglas J. Opel

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: To examine how clinicians communicate with parents about influenza vaccination and the effect of these communication behaviors on parental vaccine decision-making.

Study Design: We performed a secondary analysis of data obtained from a cross-sectional observational study in which health supervision visits between pediatric clinicians and English-speaking parents of young children were videotaped. Eligible visits occurred during the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 influenza seasons, included children ≥ 6 months, and contained an influenza vaccine discussion. A coding scheme of 10 communication behaviors was developed and applied to each visit. Associations between clinician communication behaviors and parental verbal vaccine acceptance …

Mindfulness: The Missing Piece In Addiction Treatment, Charity Collier

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Mindfulness in addiction treatment is a young concept. Small samples of research and pilot programs show mindfulness is a positive approach to addiction treatment, but there is no concise theory as to how mindfulness should be implemented in addiction treatment. This research paper is designed to examine mindfulness in addiction treatment to aid in the success of sustained sobriety. Firsthand experience in addiction treatment as currently established, research of current mindfulness addiction treatment implementations, and qualitative interviews together suggest that mindfulness is a missing piece in addiction treatment.

Intimate Partner Violence And The Overlap Of Perpetration And Victimization: Considering The Influence Of Physical, Sexual, And Emotional Abuse In Childhood, Tara N. Richards, Marie Skubak Tillyer, Emily M. Wright

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Using data from Wave 4 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study examined the independent relationship of childhood maltreatment type (emotional, sexual, physical) on IPV victimization and perpetration; then mutually exclusive categories of IPV involvement (victimization, perpetration, and victimization/perpetration) were investigated. IPV victimization and perpetration were assessed using items from the revised Conflict Tactics Scales. A series of binary regression models and multinomial regression models were estimated. Models were stratified across gender. Results uncovered significant relationships between child physical abuse and IPV victimization as well as IPV perpetration for males and females, but this effect …

Selected Characteristics For Nebraska Counties From The 2011-2015 American Community Survey, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Past Publications

On December 8, 2016, the U.S. Census Bureau released five‐year American Community Survey (ACS) estimates for the combined years of 2011 through 2015, making available social, economic, housing and demographic statistics for Nebraska’s counties. Also available are estimates for every community and legislative district in Nebraska and the nation.

The data are based on a rolling national sample survey mailed to about 3 million addresses each year, resulting in nearly 2 million final interviews each year from 2011 through 2015. By pooling several years of survey responses, the ACS can generate detailed statistical portraits of smaller geographies such as counties. …

Analyzing The Role Of Income Inequality In American Political Polarization, Jake Wheeler

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Income inequality and political polarization have been thought to be connected for centuries, as it was first proposed, formally, in the 10th Federalist Paper, by James Madison, in 1787. Madison proposed the notion that when citizens become politically polarized, one must look towards individual ownership of property, or income. Political scientists have heeded Madison’s claim, and have continued studying how income inequality and political polarization interact, yielding a wide spectrum of results. While some studies have lacked conclusive evidence to show correlation or causation, some have found statistical significance when examining the effect of income disparities on political polarization.

Capture Theory & State Regulation Of Animal Cruelty, Kyla Henderson

Political Science Theses and Capstones

In this thesis I theorize that regulatory capture impacts animal cruelty laws in several different ways. Capture theory is the process by which regulatory agencies eventually come to be dominated by the industries they were charged with regulating. Regulatory capture happens when a regulatory agency, formed to act in the public’s interest, eventually acts in ways that benefit the industry it is supposed to be regulating, rather than the public. Animal cruelty regulations are an important factor in the way that everyday products are produced. Capture theory affecting animal cruelty is an important look at the growing concern with animal …

Trade Up, Saumya Vasuthevan

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

There is a gap in the market, both on campus and in the industry, for a digital video series analyzing the latest media trends, beyond their headlines. Through accessible and highly snackable YouTube clips, Trade Up offers an in-depth analysis on how and why new media trends will affect young, media professionals, soon entering the industry. It is a peer-to-peer discussion, designed for Newhouse students, by Newhouse students. From AMC Theatres’ experimental virtual reality venture to Amazon Spark, our topics transverse the symbiotic worlds of advertising, technology, and television. Taking a multidisciplinary approach to tackling the media ecosystem, Trade Up …

Effects Of Mindfulness Based Teacher Training On Developing Teachers, Timothy Walsh

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Interest in the effects of mindful interventions in school settings continues to draw increasing interest. Mindfulness techniques for students as well as mindfulness training for teachers are consistently producing encouraging results. This study focused on teachers and support staff at the middle and high school levels. Specifically, teachers and staff who were within 0-5 years of teaching or 0-5 years new to a teaching position. Because other studies have produced positive results of mindfulness interventions on teachers, this study is focused on evaluating the impact of mindfulness training on teachers in the formative years of teaching and in new environments. …

Formative Experiences For Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teachers-In-Training, Margaret Fletcher

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Teacher development is of critical importance in the relatively new field of mindfulness. This study focuses on what can be understood about teacher development, from the perspective of teachers who have trained in this field. Five U.S.-based qualified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teachers were interviewed to find out about their formative experiences. The data were gathered from interview transcriptions, and have been presented in the context of the literature concerning teacher training pathways and recognized and/or recommended teacher development activities. The teachers described a range of formative experiences, involving formal training, professional, spiritual and ordinary life moments, and including pleasant as …

The New Right: The Blue-Collar Ideological Shift Towards A Conservative Populism, Julia Detmer

3690: A Journal of First-Year Student Research Writing

Overview: “Make America Great Again” the populist rally cry of the 2016 Election was championed by none other than now President Donald J. Trump. His appeal to the populist blue-collar working class was shocking to some, but historically not unexpected. His promise to bring back manufacturing jobs to the United States by having “fair trade” resonated with the disenfranchised working class who felt once again left out politically, socially, and economically by the government and its seemingly progressive state. This promise however was not original. Ronald Reagan, the Republican “messiah” campaigned on this saying, attempting to restore hope in the …

What Does Human Rights Look Like? The Visual Culture Of Aid, Advocacy, And Activism, Joel R. Pruce

Political Science Faculty Publications

We live in a highly complex and evolving world that requires a fuller and deeper understanding of how modern technological tools, ideas, practices, and institutions interact, and how different societies adjust themselves to emerging realities of the digital age. This book conveys such issues with a fresh perspective and in a systematic and coherent way. While many studies have explained in depth the change in the aftermath of the unrests and uprisings throughout the world, they rarely mentioned the need for constructing new human rights norms and standards. This edited collection provides a balanced conceptual framework to demonstrate not only …

The Influence Of Self-Compassion On Conflict Resolution Processes In Marriages, Joyce Cha

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Increasing attention is given to third-wave cognitive-behavioral concepts such as selfcompassion. This study seeks to explore the impact of self-compassion on conflict resolution in marital relationships. While recent research highlights the influence of self-compassion on relationship satisfaction as a whole, little exploration has been done on the impact of selfcompassion on relational conflict, a significant component of marital relationships or the impact of the bi-directional impact relationship satisfaction has on levels of self-compassion.

The goal of this study was to understand the relationship between levels of selfcompassion and conflict processes in married couples. It was hypothesized that levels of selfcompassion …