Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Stability Through Economic Growth In Afghanistan, Abdul Qadir Khan

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the Afghan public’s opinion to identify the overall direction of the country, whether the country, in terms of economic growth, is moving in a positive direction or not. How do economic factors affect the public’s views on the direction of the country? Based on that, this study finds that economic growth has an effect on the Afghan public’s opinion on the country’s direction.

Afghans are not enjoying stability in their country yet, after the majority of Afghans accepted U.S. military intervention in 2001 and the establishment of the new government to end instability. It was not an …

Globalization And The Diffusion Of Military Capabilities, Eddie Stokes

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

I analyze the effects of economic and informational globalization on the diffusion of military capabilities in the 20th and 21st centuries. To test these relationships, I use the KOF Swiss Economic Institute’s data on economic and informational globalization and the Correlates of War data on National Material Capabilities for all states of the international system from 1970 to 2011. Using an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression of all states with standard errors clustered at the state-level, I find that economic globalization negatively correlates with increases in military capabilities; while informational globalization positively correlates with increases in military capabilities. These findings …

Decolonizing Urban Indian Institutions: Indigenous Authority In Boise, Idaho, Melanie Lee Fillmore

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

American Indigenous populations are underrepresented in American political science discourse. There is a lack of knowledge on public perception of political trust within Indigenous communities. I argue that contemporary discourses on data and political participation of American Indigenous people are incomplete without framing that data within the context of ongoing settler colonialism. National data shows that nearly 71% of all American Indigenous people live in urban settings. Framing American Indigenous political participation requires an in depth examination of the role of American Settler colonialism. Studies need to account for the impact of Federal government use of authority has had on …

Ideological Misalignment In The Discourse(S) Of Higher Education: Comparing University Mission Statements With Texts From Commercial Learning Analytics Providers, Leif A. Nelson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes, interprets, and compares texts from different educational discourses. Using the Critical Discourse Analysis method, I reveal how texts from university mission statements and from commercial learning analytics providers communicate and construct different ideologies. To support this analysis, I explore literature strands related to public higher education in America and the emerging field of study and practice called learning analytics. Learning analytics is the administrative, research, and instructional use of large sets of digital data that are associated with and generated by students. The data in question may be generated by incidental online activity, and it may be …

Chinese Transnational Adolescents’ Responses To Multicultural Children’S Literature In Culture Circles, Yuwen Chen

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine how Chinese transnational adolescents (CTAs) negotiate their identity based on their cultural knowledge and experiences through book discussion in Freirean “culture circle” (Freire, 2000, p. 120). This study is an interpretivist qualitative study of community-based action research (Glesne, 2010). The participants were seven American-born Chinese, two current Chinese and Taiwanese, and one Chinese adopted adolescent. Within the culture circles, CTAs responded to seven selected multicultural children’s literature which represents Chinese immigrants’ stories in the United States. The topics of the books included (1) who am I, (2) relationships with extended family I, …

The Relevance Of The Constitution In Today's Society, Matthew Reiber

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

How relevant is the Constitution in today’s society? This is the document that guides the three branches of government in day to day operation, demonstrating that what the Constitution means to the people of the United States is essential in gauging how relevant people think our government is. In this experiment, I surveyed 348 different college students on Boise State campus with a list of different questions to first find out their general knowledge of our Constitution, then their opinion of it. Students were randomly assigned to receive a text about a Supreme Court case that involves interpreting the Constitution …

Pay For Success Financing: Diffusion Dynamics In The U.S., Vanessa R. Fry

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Across the United States (U.S.), communities struggle with numerous social and environmental issues while the funding to provide programmatic services to address these issues continues to diminish. As such, actors both inside and outside of government are seeking new policy solutions that both effectively and efficiently address these issues. Significant hurdles to embarking on a new policy approach exist, however, including a lack of up-front funding and a reluctance to take on the risk inherent in implementing new programs. A recent innovation in the policy domain, Pay for Success (PFS) financing, has been specifically designed to overcome these hurdles. Policy …

How Extrinsic Mortality Affects Age At Menarche And Fertility In A 1970 British Cohort, Kimberly Marie Neagle

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Extrinsic mortality is the likelihood of mortality that is not conditional on reproductive effort. It does not depend on a person’s behavior and cannot be changed by altering behavior. Theoretically, extrinsic mortality plays a major role in the evolution of life history and the variation in reproductive strategies. Using life history theory as a framework, with higher extrinsic mortality cues women should speed up reproduction to maximize fitness in uncertain or risky environments, and in environments with little risk, women can allocate their energy to somatic development and in this time, accrue resources such as education and career opportunities. Thus, …

Methodological Advances For Understanding Social Connectivity And Environmental Implications In Multi-Use Landscapes, Matthew Clark

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Integrated social-ecological systems research is challenging; complicated feedback and interactions across scales in multi-use landscapes are difficult to decouple. Novel methods and innovative data sources are needed to advance social-ecological systems research. In this thesis, we use network science as a means of explicitly assessing feedback between social and ecological systems, and internet search data to better predict visitation in protected areas. This thesis seeks to provide empirical examples of emerging social-ecological systems science methods as a precedent for resource managers on-the-ground, as well as extending the line of scientific inquiry on the subject

In the first chapter of this …

Sexual Abuse And Assault Against Minors: A Spatial Application Of Routine Activity Theory, John Ropp

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in criminological theory have changed the way we approach age-old questions of criminality. Routine activity theory, hotspots analyses, and spatial-statistical models have become popular methods of investigating criminal phenomena. This study tests the applicability of spatial analyses and routine activity theory by examining the relationship between a geographically-measured lack of guardianship composite score and the occurrence of child sexual abuse (CSA) and sexual assault perpetrated against minors (SAAM). Moran’s I, single kernel interpolation, dual kernel interpolation, and spatial lag regression are used as methods of analysis for this study. Strong evidence of spatial clustering is observed and a …

Public Spheres Of Influence And The Effects Of The Alt-Right: A Qualitative Study Of Conservative Counter Spheres Through Representative Media Outlets, Luke Yeates

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary understanding of Habermasian public spheres of influence points to a conglomeration of competing counter-spheres all vying for hegemonic control. The interaction of these spheres creates dynamic and shifting landscapes through which individuals and news media outlets maneuver. One of the larger influential groups in the United States is the establishment conservative counter-sphere, but recent political developments have given rise to a new counter-sphere, one that is increasingly racist and violent. The alt-right has grown in its political influence since the 2016 presidential election and its presence is likely having an effect on larger, more established groupings as it vies …

"Just Call Me Poe": An Autoethnographic Look At Codeswitching And Passing, Paola Andrea Joya

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The following thesis is an autoethnographic look at codeswitching and passing in the children of immigrants. Specifically, this thesis uses methods of poetry, frameworks of re-photography, and narrative to investigate my personal experiences with these cultural phenomena over a lifetime. Grounding my work in theories on identity, culture, and co-cultural understandings, I investigate the evolution of my name from Paola, Paula, to Poe, as a representation of the length at which I attempted to assimilate and accommodate to the dominant group (U.S). It is my hope that this thesis helps to create community amongst those who have shared similar experiences …

Everyday Talk: Perpetuating Cultures Of Sexual Violence On College Campuses, Sara Collins

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

While sexual violence on college campuses has always been present, recently, there has been heightened interest in ways that individuals can resist against this problematic and harmful culture. This study employs a communicative perspective grounded in social construction and relationships between power, language, and subjectivity to gain insights into the everyday talk that perpetuates rape culture. Specifically, four focus groups were conducted to understand how college students talk about dating, relationships, and sex. Qualitative analysis of the focus group transcripts revealed how women and men conceptualize the process of dating and critical analysis reveals how the talk about relationships and …

Child Abuse Reporting And Education Laws: Effective Incentives For Policy Actor Change, Joel David Vallett

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The policy process emphasizes various stages of policy development and implementation. Essential to the stages within the policy process are the individuals who create, implement, and correct public policy. Employing three separate essays, I examine the actions of legislators, street-level bureaucrats (teachers, law enforcement, and social workers), and a policy entrepreneur in regards to child abuse prevention and education policies. These three groups of actors play a valuable role within the policy process and have various incentives which drive their actions in regards to a policy. Better understanding the incentives and actions of these groups expands the policy research and …

Public Administrator Choice Idaho School District Finance Policy Observed, Cameron Marcus Arial

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Physical facilities are essential for Idaho public school districts to fulfill their constitutional mandate “to establish and maintain a general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools.¹ Because these physical facilities cost millions of dollars to construct, a common and prudent means of financing them is to borrow through the municipal bond market. Accessing the bond market to obtain these needed funds is an infrequent and complex process for most Idaho school districts and the administrators who are charged with carrying out these financings. For this purpose, school administrators look to the guidance of financial professionals to …

Representative Bureaucracy: Representation Of American Indian Teachers And Their Impact On American Indian Student Access And Performance, Selena M. Grace

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Using a cross-comparative, qualitative case study approach, my research seeks to determine whether the presence of American Indian teachers (passive representation) positively influences educational access and performance of American Indian students in two rural Idaho public school districts located within tribal reservations. One district has representation of American Indian teachers and the other does not. Representation of American Indian teachers is a form of passive representation which the theory of representative bureaucracy suggests should lead to active representation (implementation of culturally relevant curriculum and teaching practices). My research analyzes de-identified student- and district-level data on access and performance as well …

Substance Use And Bullying Intervention Among High School Students, April Denise Watts

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Comprised of three individual articles, this article-based dissertation investigates the relationship between bullying and substance use among high school students. Chapter One provides an overview of the dissertation’s purpose along with a discussion of the theoretical framework and development of the studies comprising the dissertation. Chapter Two examines the relationship between bullying victimization and substance use among high school students. Findings demonstrate that students who reported bullying victimization reported higher levels of alcohol and illicit drug use, but not marijuana use. Chapter Three is a mixed methods study assessing the appropriateness of an “aged-up” brief bullying bystander intervention (STAC) and …

Effects Of Intention Status And Social Support On Parental Investment, Kayla Downs

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

According to life history theory, human mothers rely on assistance from others for childrearing help. Studies have shown that mothers who have insufficient support often report having unwanted or mistimed pregnancies. In turn, unwanted pregnancies may lead to reduced parental investment. This study is the first to analyze the interaction between pregnancy intention status and social support to better understand parental investment. Using data from the Millennium Cohort Study of the U.K. which includes over 18,000 respondents, this study examines how planned pregnancy and social support variables – measured as assistance from a partner, family, or friends – is associated …

Wildfire Smoke: Trends, Challenges, Unknowns, And Human Response, Mariah Dawn Fowler

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Wildfire smoke is a growing threat to human livelihood in the Western United States. The economic and the health burden of smoke is accelerating in response to a growing fire season and escalating fire activity. This study first evaluates the trends in air quality over Boise, Idaho and the entire Northwest (and Montana) to assess the impacts of wildfire smoke in the region. The Mann-Kendall trend analysis shows that there is a statistically significant trend in the average and maximum air quality index (AQI) during the fire season (July-August-September) in the Boise area. The AQI shows a decreasing trend, although …

Disclosing Romantic Relationship Conflicts With A Third Party: A Test Of The Disclosure Decision-Making Model, Michelle Marie Jimenez

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized Greene’s (2009) health disclosure decision-making model (DD-MM) to better understand the process of romantic relationship conflict (RRC) disclosures to a confidant outside the relationship. In doing so, I investigated the changes in relational quality between the discloser and their romantic partner/confidant, while also proposing that the DD-MM would be valid for use in RRC disclosures. Results indicated that while relational quality does not change significantly between the discloser and their romantic partner/confidant after an RRC disclosure, the depth of disclosure is significantly correlated with greater relational quality with the confidant. The relational quality an individual had with …

Gender Differences In The Prevalence Of Mental Health And Substance Abuse Problems Among Detained Juveniles In Idaho, Jessica Marshall

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

For the past 11 years, the Boise State University’s Center for Health Policy has partnered with the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections to analyze data on juveniles entering detention at 13 Juvenile Detention Centers in Idaho. The Alaska Screening Tool (AST) is used to screen juveniles who may or may not meet the criteria for having a mental health problem, substance abuse problem, or both types of problems. The current study explores prevalence rates and gender differences as indicated by the AST for fiscal years 2008-2017. Across nine years of data (fiscal years 2008-2017), on average, 61% of all detained …

Variation In The Configuration Of The Middle Snake River And Its Relationship To Prehistoric Fishing Site Locations, Joseph Wardle

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The configuration of the various elements of a river system can have significant impacts on the availability, abundance, and nutritional profitability of aquatic organisms utilized as food by groups of human foragers. These factors may have influenced the location and timing of prehistoric fishing along the Middle Snake River in southern Idaho during the Late Archaic when use of fish as a resource increased (beginning approximately 1500 B.P.). Previous work has established a relationship between physiographic features of the Middle Snake River channel and the presence of fishing sites. To improve on future studies of this type, it is important …

The Relationship Between Aggression And Depression: Testing The Moderating Effects Of Age And Gender, Benjamin P. Comer

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to a) explore the research related to aggression and depression and b) test hypotheses that focus on the relationship between aggression and depression in relation to age and gender over time. Aggression and depression are discussed extensively by examining a broad range of literature that points to environmental, social, individual, psychological, and biophysiological influences. First, aggression and depression are discussed separately in terms of their underlying theory, biosocial perspectives, typologies, behavioral and personality abnormalities, brain structures related to each, and neurochemical/neurological influences. The final sections of the literature review discuss how aggression and depression …

Athletic Identity And Conformity To Masculinity Based On Different Types Of Sports, Julie James

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Researchers have examined hegemonic masculine norms and athletic identity in regard to athletes in order to understand how traits such as aggression, violence, heterosexual self-presentation, exclusivity, etc., are positively reinforced in America’s sporting culture. The expectations for aggressive sport athletes to use their bodies as weapons, play through injuries, and suppress their empathy makes transitioning into their off-field daily lives difficult. Although researchers have examined how and why college football players conform to masculine norms and an athletic identity, little is known about how these constructs do or do not manifest within the athletes of different types of sports. …

Using An Evaluation Capacity Tool To Build Evaluation Capacity In A Nonprofit Organization, Megan Brook Miller

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Organizational performance improvement cannot be expected without continuous monitoring and evaluations. Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) funded through government grants and other funder contracts face high expectations for evaluation and reporting of data as they are held accountable to their funders. However, NPOs share common struggles in both measuring and building evaluation capacity, which refers to the ability for an organization to conduct an effective evaluation that meets accepted standards of the discipline (Milstein, Chapel, Wetterhall, & Cotton, 2002). Thus, the purpose of this research was to answer the following research question: How does an NPO use an ECB framework and …