Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

War Spin: How U.S. Politicians, The President And The Media Frame Foreign Intervention, Samantha White

Masters Theses

In this research, I seek to explain how three different foreign policy actors, the President, key Senators, and the media frame intervention policy when determining if intervention is used for human rights versus U.S. interests. I will be looking at four different areas of turmoil (Bosnia (1992-1995), Rwanda (1994), Syria (2011-present) and Iraq (2003-2011)) to see if the Presidents, Senators, and the media framed their intervention around human rights atrocities being committed, or if they framed it around a national security dilemma.

A Photo Illicit Study Of Black Women's Sense Of Belonging At A Predominately White Institution, Kayla Alexandria Slusher

Masters Theses

This qualitative study sought to examine how Black women define and create their sense of belonging while attending a predominately White institution using a photovoice approach. The women took photographs of spaces that they frequently occupy and then engaged in a face-to-face interview to discuss the photographs. The researcher also investigated four Black women, ranging from junior to graduate level, to identify how they developed a sense of belonging at the research site institution. Results of the study showed that a feeling of comfort was most important when identifying belongingness in a space. The participants were able to create a …

Investigating The Impact Of Foreign Direct Investment On Domestic Investment In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study Of Kenya And South Africa, George Anaman

Masters Theses

In the progression towards economic growth, countries consider investment as a critical feature in raising productivity levels by boosting technological progress and reducing the unemployment rate. In recent years, the government of South Africa and Kenya have both enacted policies to entice Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the view of creating more jobs and bolstering the economy. However, in the bid to attract these foreign investors, FDI may either end up complementing or stifling local investments over time. From this perspective, the objective of the study is to investigate the impact of FDI on Domestic Investments in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) …

Women Autonomy In Household Decisionmaking In Nigeria: Analysis Of 2013 Demographic And Health Survey Data, Temiyemi Akinsuyi

Masters Theses

Wealth generated in a household unit is very instrumental to the economy at large through involvement in economic activities. A modest step to improving women's voices and participation in the society is to allow them a full range of choices. Consequences of limiting the rights of women is detrimental to households, communities and the economy at large. The specific objective of this study is to examine the association between women's autonomy and household decision making. I do this by analyzing the data from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The methodology employed in investigating this relationship is the Ordered …

Digit Ratio As A Predictor Of Risk Taking And Sensation Seeking Personality Traits And Behaviors, Hanna Elizabeth Hobson

Masters Theses

Digit ratio is the difference in length between the pointer finger and the ring finger on either hand. Commonly referred to as the 2D:4D ratio, this ratio is determined prior to birth, and serves as an indicator of prenatal hormone exposure. Digit ratio has been found to correlate with fundamental personality and behavior characteristics in adulthood. Digit ratio is also thought to be a determinate of sexual orientation in both men and women, but has been debated in the literature. This study examined multiple 2D:4D relationships. Men who were found to have a more masculinized (ie. lower) digit ratio had …

Is The Relationship Between College Drinking Behaviors And Social Anxiety Mediated By Alcohol Expectancies And Traumatic Life Experiences?, Cortney Lin Kingsmill

Masters Theses

The relationship between alcohol consumption and social anxiety is difficult to understand, as there have been mixed findings in the research. In general, a positive correlation has been found between the two, with a focus on the mediating effect of alcohol outcome expectancies. Both positive expectancies and trauma have been correlated positively with social anxiety and drinking behavior. This paper reviews the literature and examines the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol consumption. A mediated model between these two variables with the mediators being alcohol expectancies and traumatic experiences was proposed, but this model did not fit the date. Specifically, …

The Effects Of Two Different Sports Drinks On Rpe And Finishing Speed Of An Endurance Run In Highly Trained Distance Runners, Matthew J. Feldhake

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a protein-containing sport drink with a traditional non-protein sport drink has on ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and finishing speed of an half marathon. Of the possible factors that would support including protein in a sport drink the primary one was its inhibitory effect on serotonin release in the brain. This could help attenuate perceived exertion, thus allowing individuals to compete at a higher level for longer durations (Davis, Alderson, & Welsh, 2000).

This study was conducted using nine members of the Eastern Illinois University Men's Cross Country team. …

Binge Eating Disorder: Relationship To Physical And Emotional Factors, Taylor M. Mcmillan

Masters Theses

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a new core diagnosis within the Diagnostic Statistical Manual Fifth Edition (DSM-5; APA, 2013). Because binge eating disorder is a new diagnosis, research within this area is both lacking and developing quickly. Social physique anxiety and emotion regulation have been linked previously to binge eating disorder. In contrast, there is little research on the potential link between physical activity and binge eating disorder; however, physical activity has been shown to have potential treatment benefits for binge eating. This study examined BED on a continuum and its links to physical activity, emotion regulation, and subtypes of …

Involuntary Memory And Conceptual Priming, Emma P. Petersen

Masters Theses

The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between involuntary memory and conceptual priming. Conceptual priming is priming that revolves around personal concepts like people and places. Two forms of conceptual priming were examined: immediate conceptual priming and delayed (24 hour) conceptual priming. First, participants were instructed to recall specific memories in a priming activity. After, they engaged in a vigilance task. Participants in the immediate group engaged in the vigilance task immediately after completing the priming activity, whereas participants in the delayed group engaged in the vigilance task 24 hours after completing the priming activity. An independent judge determined …

A Guide To Patient-Provider Interactions In Women's Healthcare, Emma Welton

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Linguistic Correlates Of The Quiet Ego In Narratives About The Self, Katherine Maurer

Masters Theses

Increasingly, research has shown that the drive to elevate the self and the excessive pursuit of self-esteem have negative effects on well-being and mental health. In addition, many of the defensive and aggressive tendencies seen in psychological research can be seen as efforts to defend and elevate the self. In contrast to these tendencies, the quiet ego construct describes a state of ego balance characterized by an inclusive sense of identity, perspective-taking, detached awareness (mindfulness), and growth orientation. The quiet ego and related qualities have been associated with many positive outcomes. A body of research using the Linguistic Inquiry and …

Factors Influencing Persistence Of Students With Learning Disabilities At Four-Year Institutions, Abigail Frye

Masters Theses

This study investigated the persistence and transition of college students with learning disabilities at a mid-sized Midwestern university. The qualitative, narrative approach was used to determine which factors influenced the persistence of students with learning disabilities at a four-year, mid-sized university and which college services and resources students with learning disabilities utilized. This research found that students do utilize college services and supports to assist through their transitions into college. The participants in this research relied on the support of their family and friends while they approached and navigated their college transition. This study found that students with learning disabilities …

Social Anxiety And Drinking Behaviors In College Students: Mediated By Alcohol Outcome Expectancies Specific To Social Situations?, Toby Board

Masters Theses

Understanding the relationship between social anxiety and problematic drinking is a difficult task. Studies examining this relationship have commonly found a positive correlation between social anxiety and drinking behaviors, although the literature is marked by mixed results. If social anxiety does positively predict alcohol use, then what accounts for this relationship? Some researchers posit that alcohol outcome expectancies may be a mediator for this relationship. Alcohol outcome expectancies specific to the context of social evaluative situations may be a stronger mediator than general alcohol outcome expectancies. A study to test this mediation was conducted with xxx undergraduate students. Results showed …

Relational Aggression In College Students, Nicole Parker

Masters Theses

Researchers have long theorized that females may be as equally aggressive as males, but the form of aggression most frequently manifested by females may be nonphysical. This thinking lead to the examination of relational aggression, which is a type of aggression intended to harm others' peer relationships. Numerous studies over the last 20 years have examined relational aggression in children and the maladaptive behaviors associated with such aggression. However, far less is known about relational aggression in older students or young adults. Thus, this paper reviews the present literature on relational aggression in college students, focusing on three potential predictors …

A Baseline Osteological Analysis Of Prehistoric Human Skeletal Remains Recovered From The Terminal Archaic Morse Site (11-F-220), Fulton County, Illinois, Matthew Shawn Kinzer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines the prehistoric human skeletal remains recovered from the Terminal Archaic Morse site that was excavated during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. The project was led by Drs. Dan Morse and Georg Neumann, with assistance provided by Ms. Louise Robbins to oversee the recovery of the skeletal remains, as well as a host of various other workers and volunteers. Since the conclusion of fieldwork over fifty years ago, only a modest number of articles describing the findings from the site have been published.

In light of this circumstance, the focus of this study provides an overview of …

Class 05-84, Lacy Ward

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A young Navy pilot finds a humorous way to hold onto his individuality during basic training.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

You And The Time, Phillip A. Trezza

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A medic reflects on how things have changed in his life over time.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

The Salute, Larry Meier

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A soldier returns from Vietnam to accompany the body of a young warrior to his small Virginia town.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

The Pit, John Price

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

In training, not everyone can handle the stress of throwing a grenade.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Carry-On Luggage, Jack Frazer

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A soldier comes home from Vietnam, measuring his life by what he brings home in his pockets and duffel from the war.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Button, Chris Knaggs

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A veteran volunteer at the Virginia War Memorial tries to strike up a dialogue with a young, angry protester, and learns a hard lesson about the grief of others.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so …

Bonne Année, David M. Aldridge

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A young soldier returns from his first tour in Vietnam, takes his first job at a remote gas station, and finds himself staring down killers.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience …

Ordering And Arranging Behaviors In Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Replication And Extension, Sarah R. Lee

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

In the existing Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) research literature, some of its “symptom dimensions” have been studied more extensively than others (McKay et al., 2004; McLean et al., 2001). Symmetry and ordering concerns, for example, have been the subject of far less research than washing or checking symptoms. In one of the few extant studies of these concerns, Radomsky and Rachman (2004a) found that participants with elevated ordering concerns reported higher anxiety in response to a stressful task when assigned to a disorganized office space, as opposed to an organized one. The current study was intended as a replication of theirs …

Gait Of Power, David Aldridge

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A soldier in Vietnam experiences something beyond the normal when he covers his squad during retreat from a firefight.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

G-Day, Donald Green

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A young Marine artilleryman and his gun crew chase Saddam’s forces across the Kuwaiti desert.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Quarter Cav, Jess Lockhart

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

In Vietnam, it was always easier to ride than to walk through the jungle.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and assists participants in sharing their stories and experiences of military experience so both writer and audience may benefit.

Effects Of Task Goals On Processing Causal Explanations In Science Texts, Kathryn E. Rupp

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Previous research has shown that students experience difficulty understanding scientific texts that explain physical systems (e.g., how coral bleaching occurs; how speakers work). Explanatory texts about physical systems depict causally connected components and events that change across time and space. Readers incrementally build a mental representation of the system often called a mental model. The primary goal of the present experiment was to explore the possibility that one reason why explanatory texts are difficult to comprehend is that students adopt reading goals that do not facilitate the construction of a coherent mental model of the explanation. In the present experiment, …

Juvenile Probation Officers' Attitudes And Treatment Toward “Bad Girls”, Lisa Shelton

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Adolescent girls have a reputation for being the most undesirable population to work with in the judicial and correctional systems. This reputation is largely due to the heavy stigmatization of juvenile girls who do not behave in ways that are consistent with traditional standards of femininity. In this study, I examine probation officers’ interactions with their juvenile clients. I closely noted differences and similarities in the treatment given to boys and girls and where various strategies tend to be either beneficial or unsuccessful.

English Language Investment: A Qualitative Study On Transitioning Adult Language Learners To Postsecondary And Career Certificate Programs, Colleen Collins Stribling

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study elicited and examined the narratives of 15 adult immigrants

learning English in a grant-funded program. The purpose of the study was to listen to student

voices to understand persistence and investment from the perspectives of the students. The study

utilized a process called reciprocal ethnography whereby participants analyzed their journeys

with the researcher to determine what factors in their life histories, experiences, and identities

had led them to invest sufficiently in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in order to

reach levels of achievement that would allow them to transition into post secondary and career

certificate …

Exploring Factors Related To Acceptance Of 1:1 Devices Among High School Students, Victoria Therriault

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Studies show that students in lower socioeconomic status (SES) districts tend to have fewer resources, and in turn have greater achievement gaps than their affluent peers from neighboring districts. In an effort to bridge these gaps, schools have turned to 1:1 computing to bring electronic resources to their students that they might not have otherwise. However, to date there are minimal studies indicating whether or not high school students are willing to accept technology for classroom instructional purposes. This study examined the extent to which student demographic characteristics (e.g., sex, race/ethnicity, SES) are related to their acceptance of Chromebook use …