Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

What Does A Diagnosis Of Asperger’S Syndrome Mean To A School-Aged Japanese Client? A Case Study Illustrating The Use Of Positioning Theory, Hatsuho Ayashiro

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Many researchers and practitioners refer to diagnoses of mental disorders in their work. While possibly suggesting helpful perspectives, this practice has also been criticized. A previous study suggests that such references produce a deficit discourse that enfeebles clients. However, some Japanese who are diagnosed with developmental disorders state that their diagnoses help them to assert themselves. What, then, does the diagnosis mean to the client? To examine this question, I studied from a discursive perspective the case of a Japanese client diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, using Rom Harré’s positioning theory. In analyzing the data, four positions (deficit, competent, abnormal, and …

Restorative Justice And Social Justice, John M. Winslade

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This paper explains the connections between restorative justice and social justice. Specifically it argues that restorative practices in schools fit with a social justice agenda. It defines both terms and then outlines how restorative practices work to address the pipeline to prison and against retributive justice and zero tolerance policies. It also outlines the use of narrative questions designed to enhance restorative practices.

Violence And Aggression In School Settings, Barbara Katic

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Violence and aggression continue to cause harm to American schools and communities, which has been visibly illustrated by the continual perpetration of school shootings. In order to prevent these situations for occurring again, the etiology of violent and aggressive behaviors must be studied. Utilizing an ecological perspective, both the risk factors and protective factors of violence and aggression, also known as a dual strategy approach, are examined within an educational context. Specific risk factors reviewed include weapons exposure and social rejection, while protective factors reviewed include school connectedness and pro-social relationships. Implications regarding the prevention of violent and aggressive acts …

Safety In Sanctuaries: A Threat Assessment Of Omaha Churches, Matthew Spicka

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Churches are a soft target for people with malicious intentions. They are filled with a large amount of people, including large groups of children and elderly folk. Religions also encourage people to be friendlier towards outsiders, which could result in the church goers lowering their defenses and being more vulnerable to attacks. Church security teams are also primarily composed of volunteers, which means there is limited experience in security protocol and that could lead to limited incentive to perform security tasks thoroughly. Churches are a crucial part of the spiritual wellness of a community. All these factors make churches a …

Resisting Borders, Resisting Control Examining The Multiplicity Of Identities In A Map Of Home And The Girl In The Tangerine Scarf, Zainab Abdali

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

In this project I examine identities as they are expressed through the use of language in the novels A Map of Home by Randa Jarrar and The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf by Mohja Kahf. Both novels are coming-of-age narratives of two Arab and Muslim-American female protagonists that depict their exploration of identity as they undergo experiences of war, migration, displacement, and racism in their respective contexts. I explore the protagonists’ negotiation of identity in the face of familial and societal pressure to conform to clearly demarcated categorizations of identity, arguing that the protagonists recognize clear borders between identities as …

Determinants Of Employment And Earnings For Hurricane Katrina Evacuees, Kyle Putnam

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Southeast region of the United States in late August of 2005 and is considered the most catastrophic natural disaster in US history. Many argue that the federal government response was implemented too late and was insufficient to lift the residents of New Orleans, a city plagued by racial income and employment gaps, out of a dire situation. This paper examines the economic impact of Hurricane Katrina by analyzing CPS data to determine how the earnings and employment of different groups of evacuees differed from non-evacuees. The findings show a difference between the employment-population …

9/11 Education Policy: Is The Twenty-First Century’S “Day Of Infamy” Adequately Taught In Modern Classrooms?, Susanne Prendergast

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The American education system is plagued by a growing number of problems, one of them being the lack of attention given to teaching civics, history and government. The United States has transformed in less than a quarter of the new millennium, due in great part to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Despite this, the subject is not adequately covered by the public school system. This is evident when analyzing the curricula and state standards taken as a sample from five regions of the U.S., as well as textbooks published by the three companies that make up the majority …

Fear Of The Future: A Sociological Profile Of Anxiety In College, Lauren Hannah

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

College students are currently experiencing what psychologists and media outlets refer to as an "anxiety epidemic." Undergraduates are self-reporting and seeking counseling for anxiety in record numbers. Fear of the Future: A Profile of Anxiety in College is an exploratory sociology project whose aim is to understand the experience, manifestations, and root causes of anxiety in late Millennial college students. The core research involves a survey of over 400 Syracuse University undergraduates and three interviews with some of Syracuse University's professional counselors. The demographic findings of the survey and the common threads among statements from counselors are synthesized to …

Income Inequality And Its Effect On Work-Related Fatalities, Luke Chadwick

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

While many papers have examined the effect of income inequality on a range of health outcomes, few have examined data on workplace fatalities. This study compiles data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Gini coefficient estimates for each of the U.S. states from 2008-2015 to estimate the effect of income inequality on workplace fatality rates using multiple regression models. The resulting estimates are partially significant; however, they do not conclusively demonstrate a causal relationship between income inequality and workplace fatalities due to biases and other factors.

The Espionage Act Versus Whistleblowers And The Public Interest, Damyre Benjamin

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The central question surrounding this thesis is whether or not United States’ federal courts are balancing the issue of national security threats against the issue of public interest when dealing with whistleblower cases. The first step it takes in answering this question is examining whistleblowers under John Rawls’ standard of justified acts of civil disobedience. Afterwards, the research examines how the respective courts look at the act of leaking causing a potential security threat or its benefit to the public interest. This analysis is performed by using the Inter-American Court of Human Rights’ structure for dealing with free speech issues …

Information Wars: A Look At The Role Of Social Media In The 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, Natalie Rudakevych

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Guided by American University Professor Rhonda Zaharna’s previous works on narrative battles, this thesis examines the Facebook pages of four major players in the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution to determine how social media is used to create narratives during times of conflict. The paper argues that modern day wars are partially fought in virtual spaces and social media platforms serve as important battlegrounds for "information wars" between opponents. Over 300 Facebook posts from between November 2013 and May 2014 were collected from the Facebook pages representing the Euromaidan protestors, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the European Union in Ukraine …

On The Record: The Power Of Women's Ideas In The Changing Media Industry, Jacqueline Homan

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

I am publishing a book, titled On the Record: Notes from 20 Powerful Women in Journalism, and a corresponding website, ontherecordbook.squarespace.com, aimed at high school and college students who want to learn about and make a difference in journalism and digital media. The book and website consist of interviews with women in those fields with a focus on ideas — how they’re generated, how they become successful and how they shape the changing industry, with additional resources and information for students. The book will be self-published, printed and distributed to high schools and libraries in the Syracuse area, and …

Cultivation Theory And The Effects Of Television On Children, Omneya A Shanab

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This project delves into Cultivation Theory and how it has developed over time. I looked not only at television, which was the original platform discussed in relation to the theory, but at digital and social spaces as well. As media develops as a whole I was curious to see how this theory ties into children’s development and lives in general. My main interest was children, including those in lower income and minority homes.

Dove’S “Real Beauty” Campaign: A Critical Analysis Of An Integrated Communications Campaign That Sought To Change Fat Stigma, Taylor Georgeson

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

My Capstone project analyzed Dove’s “Real Beauty” integrated communications campaign to determine whether it succeeded in its original goals and to see what it could demonstrate for the future of campaigns and branding. The campaign sought to make women feel comfortable in their own skin, and since 2004 it has launched dramatic billboards and short videos to get the attention of women of all ages and share empowering messages and images with them.

I created a survey that asked questions similar to what Dove originally asked women in 2004 when it began its campaign. My goal was to see what …

Evaluating In Situ Grazing Patterns Of Lytechinus Variegatus And Their Effects On Seagrass Beds Of Thalassia Testudinum, Adrianna Parson

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

The sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus is a known grazer of the seagrass Thalassia testudinum, and has been known to denude vast stands of seagrass beds at high densities. Outside of these denudation events, the effects of sea urchins on seagrass are poorly understood. This study examines the effects of L. variegatus on T. testudinum in situ, to understand how sea urchins are affecting seagrasses in situ. Results indicate that urchins were found in the offshore portion of the seagrass bed at densities up to 4 urchins/m². Changes in temperature and sediment size in the bay indicate …

The Moderating Role Of Pbs In The Relationship Between Positive Expectancies And Alcohol-Related Negative Consequences, Kray Scully

Master's Theses

Hazardous drinking college students have become an increasingly focused upon group within alcohol research, especially considering the extent of negative consequences they experience. Recently, increased positive expectancies has been identified as an influential contributor to increased hazardous drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences. However, more comprehensive evaluation of the domains of positive expectancies (e.g., sociability, tension reduction, sexual enhancement, liquid courage) is warranted to ascertain which types are more salient in predicting hazardous drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences. Further, research has yet to explore how protective behavioral strategies (PBS) affect the strength of the associations between specific positive expectancies and alcohol-related …

A Meat Paradox: Media's Role In Mitigating The Omnivore's Dilemma, Karyn Camille Lewis

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research is to identify and understand media’s role in meat consumption and a disassociation of meat and its animal of origin. This study questions consumer behavior based on media portrayals of meat products as well as how consumers perceive these portrayals, meat consumption patterns based on media and family influence, and the types and levels of satisfaction (ex: self-esteem or masculinity) consumers receive from meat products.

A quantitative research approach was proposed for this study. The primary research method was a survey among students, faculty and staff at The University of Southern Mississippi. A total of …

The Curated Chronicles Of The American Family: An Ideological Analysis Of The Love Taza Blog, Elizabeth Radley

Master's Theses

Named one of the top ten influencers of parenting by Forbes, Naomi Davis of the family-lifestyle Blog, Love Taza has transformed her family chronicles into a successful Internet business with an extensive following ("Top Influencers of 2017: Parenting"). This thesis examines the content of Love Taza to understand what messages Naomi communicates to her readers and how her readers may be receiving those messages. Using a sample of 600 posts from 2012-2017, a quantitative analysis was conducted to determine the type of content being presented. According to the findings, the majority of the posts included sponsored content and the most …

Get To The “Point”: Improving Location Services In Tippah County Mississippi, Haley Feather

Master's Theses

Point location using geographic information systems (GIS) technology has become integrated into everyday society and daily decision-making by utilizing addresses to provide goods and services. A need exists at a national, state, and local level for an address database. The objectives of this study were to [1] determine the most suitable address data model to be used in Mississippi, [2] determine how positional accuracy changes between urban and rural areas, and [3] determine spatial variations in aerial imagery. Address data model comparisons were conducted using match rates between street, parcel, and point address models. Positional accuracy was determined for urban …

Natural Disasters And Attachment Quality: The Mediating Role Of Coping, Alexandra Teller

Master's Theses

Research shows a strong relationship between children’s exposure to a natural disaster, parental distress, and development of mental health problems. It is theorized that trauma-related parental distress is associated with maladaptive parenting behaviors, which negatively impact the psychological development of children. The long-term impact of trauma exposure from a natural disaster on parent-child relationship quality and mental health outcomes for emerging adults has only been minimally investigated. The use of adaptive coping strategies has been found to be helpful for preventing mental health problems, while maladaptive coping has been associated with the development of psychopathology. The present study examined the …

Revisiting Magee: A Mississippian Mound Center Site, Nicholas Glass

Master's Theses

Magee is a multi-mound center located in the Southern Yazoo Basin of the Lower Mississippi River Valley (LMV). Originally recorded by Phillip Phillips, James A. Ford, and James B. Griffin in 1941, the site has not been professionally investigated since then (Phillips, Ford, and Griffin: 1951). Based on their surface collection and presence of one large mound surrounded by smaller mounds, their interpretation of the site was that it served as a large ceremonial center for a short period of time, and was utilized primarily for religious purposes (Phillips et al. 2003 [1951]:325-327). Phillip Phillips (1970) dates the site within …

Improving Interview Skills In College Students Using Behavioral Skills And In Situ Training, Laura-Katherine Barker

Master's Theses

Successful interviewing skills help maximize the probability that a job candidate will make a positive impression upon a prospective employer. An area of continued concern related to potential employee readiness involves performance in interviews. Questions remain regarding the effectiveness of higher educational systems to develop the variety of efficient skills necessary for students to showcase the full array of their qualifications within an interview. Behavioral Skills Training (BST) is a behavior analytic training package that has been shown to increase appropriate interview skills. In situ training (IST), also known as in-the-moment-training, has been offered as a method to improve the …

The Role Of Emotion Regulation In The Relationship Between Trait Anger And Relational Aggression, Skylar Hicks

Master's Theses

Relational aggression (RA) has been linked to a number of serious problems for all age ranges, especially in young children, adolescents, and emerging adults. Elevated trait anger appears to be positively related to both peer and romantic RA, and there is some evidence that difficulties with emotion regulation are positively associated with RA as well. The present study investigated the role of emotion regulation as a potential moderator of the relationship between trait anger and RA in a college student sample (N = 307) while taking general negative affect into account. As expected, trait anger was a positive predictor …

E-Government And The City Of Buffalo, Michael J. Ramos

Public Administration Master’s Projects

As the United States continues to progress, the need for technological innovations has become increasingly important in the field of government. Federal, state and local governments are working towards the implementation and development of e-government practices. E-government began with the Clinton Administration in the mid 2000s, where the administration identified e-government as a way to promote a one stop access to government programs, cut costs and promote citizen advocacy in government (Moon, 2002). The purpose of this study was to explore the different departments in the City of Buffalo that are in charge of creating and implementing e-government projects. These …

The Impact Of Lexical Complexity On The Public’S Understanding Of Governmental Communication, Patrick J. Lyons Iii

Public Administration Master’s Projects

Government documents are a necessary part of life for citizens, but the complexity of language and specific jargon can make them substantially challenging to comprehend. Guidelines have been put forth to improve readability of such documents, but the government has lagged in implementing these recommendations. Therefore, the current research aims to determine if modified documents: a) are easier to read; b) are easier to comprehend; and c) require less assistance to understand than the original, unmodified documents. To accomplish this, three focus groups were conducted. Each group read an original government document and one that was modified for readability. Data …

Through The Ear, To The Brain: How Cognitive Aging Impacts Veridical And False Hearing In The Presence Of Misleading Context, Eric Failes

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

A consistent finding in the literature (Benichov, Cox, Tun, & Wingfield, 2012; Dubno, Ahlstrom, & Horwitz, 2000; Hutchinson, 1989; Nittrouer & Boothroyd, 1990; Pichora-Fuller, Schneider & Daneman, 1995; Rogers, Jacoby, & Sommers, 2012; Sommers & Danielson, 1999; Wingfield, Aberdeen, & Stine, 1991) is that spoken word identification improves for both older and younger adults following the addition of a meaningful semantic context, but the improvements are typically greater for older adults. However, more recent findings (Jacoby, Rogers, Bishara, & Shimizu, 2012; Rogers, Jacoby, & Sommers, 2012) suggest that, especially under less favorable perceptual conditions, the increased benefits of semantic context …

Individual Differences In Discounting Delayed Gains, Delayed Losses, And Probabilistic Losses, Yu-Hua Yeh

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Many decisions in one’s daily life involve the discounting of delayed or probabilistic losses: Should we pay off our credit-card balance in full or incur interest; should we buy more collision and liability insurance or risk having to pay more in case of an accident? Despite its importance, however, discounting of losses is understudied, and few studies have focused on individual differences. The current study recruited 407 on-line participants through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk who completed three discounting questionnaires: delayed losses, probabilistic losses, and delayed gains. Magnitude effects were observed with delayed gains (i.e., larger delayed gains were discounted less steeply …

Does Inequality Erode Generalized Trust? Evidence From Romanian Youths, Paul E. Sum, Gabriel Bădescu

Political Science & Public Administration Faculty Publications

Generalized trust is a critical component of liberal democratic citizenship. We evaluate the extent to which exposure to socioeconomic inequality erodes trust among Romanian youths. Using national survey data of Romanian eighth-grade and high school students, we evaluate this effect as a product of socioeconomic diversity within the classroom, controlling for the social status of the students as well as socioeconomic inequality within the community where the school is located. Our analysis shows that generalized trust is higher for students in higher grades. However, despite this maturing effect, students exposed to greater levels of socioeconomic diversity have significantly lower levels …

Unpacking Public Sentiment Toward The Government: How Citizens’ Perceptions Of Government Communication Strategies Impact Public Engagement, Cynicism, And Communication Behaviors In South Korea, Soojin Kim, Arunima Krishna

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In this study, we explore the relationship between two types of public sentiment toward the government (i.e., public engagement and cynicism) on publics’ information transmission behaviors, i.e., megaphoning, about the government. In doing so, we unpack how citizens’ perceptions of the communication strategy adopted by the government, as well perceived authenticity of the government’s communication impact their sentiments toward the government. An online survey was conducted in South Korea (N = 1112) to understand these relationships. The results revealed that perceived use of bridging strategy by the government is associated with public engagement, and perceived use of the buffering strategy …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience, And Coping Of Foster Parents, Jacqueline Rush

Honors Theses

Foster parents are people who are caregivers for children in foster care. Resilience is a trait that is developed by the exposure of stress, and adversity (Cicchetti & Garmezy, 1993). Some foster parents remain resilient and others do not. The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has any impact on foster parents’ resilience, coping, satisfaction, and intent to continue fostering. This study included 114 current foster parents from across the United States. The study at hand found that 59.6% of foster parents experienced one ACEs or more, which is lower than the …